Context

• Recently,  the Uttar Pradesh government officially raised the minimum daily wage for all adult agricultural labourers to ₹252, amounting to ₹6,552/month.

About the News

• This policy applies to workers across all districts and covers not just traditional farming—but also allied activities such as dairy, poultry, beekeeping, mushroom cultivation, and crop transport.

Key Provisions

• The Wages can now be paid in cash, in kind, or via digital transactions—as long as the total meets or exceeds ₹252/day.
• As per provisions Short-term hourly labourers must receive at least 1/6 of the daily wage per hour worked.
• Workers already earning above the new threshold will continue receiving their existing higher wage, which becomes their new personal minimum.

Background

• The Government of UP issued a comprehensive wage revision notification on March 27, 2025, which took effect on April 1, 2025, covering 74 scheduled employments under the Minimum Wages Act.
• This included agriculture, manufacturing, construction, services, and other sectors.
• Separate daily and monthly rates apply to Shops & Establishments, with unskilled workers receiving approximately ₹423/day and ₹10,994/month as of 1 April 2025.

Importance and Why it Matters

• The agricultural wage hike significantly raises earnings for millions of rural labourers in UP, improving financial security and supporting dignity of work indirectly contributing to Uttar Pradesh Zero Poverty Campaign
  
• The broader wage revision across sectors reflects a systematic approach to aligning with inflation and improving compliance under the Minimum Wages Act.
  
• Accepting multiple modes of payment—including digital—promotes wage transparency and integration with welfare schemes like e‑Shram and digitalisation across state curbing corruption 

Context

• Recently, Denso Corporation, a top Japanese automotive supplier, confirmed a ₹250 crore investment to establish a motor generator (MG) manufacturing plant in Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.

About the News

• These MG units are critical components for hybrid and electric vehicles
• The investment was formalized following a strategic meeting between Denso leaders and a UP delegation—led by Principal Secretary Alok Kumar and Finance Minister Suresh Khanna—during the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan.
• The Discussions between the State Government and EV company focused on boosting industrial collaboration, technology transfer, and workforce development.
• The state of Uttar Pradesh highlighted its skilled labor force, strong infrastructure, and pro-investment policies—demonstrating its ambition to become a national EV manufacturing hub.

UP EV Manufacturing & Mobility Policy 2022–2027

• The State Government Launched EV manufacturing policy in October 2022.
• Uttar Pradesh EV policy aims to attract ₹30,000–50,000 crore in investment and generate 10 lakh jobs, positioning the state as a national hub for EV and battery manufacturing.

Key incentives include

• The state government provides upto 15% factory price subsidy: ₹5,000 per two-wheeler, ₹12,000 per three-wheeler, ₹1 lakh per car, and up to ₹20 lakh per e-bus.
• Manufacturing incentives: Capital subsidy of up to 20–30% for anchor EV projects and mega battery plants.

Other Developments

• The State of Uttar Pradesh has designated over 2,000 acres as EV/battery manufacturing parks and EV zones across industrial clusters.
• UPSIDA has allocated ₹456 crore towards upgrading infrastructure across 93 industrial areas—including roads and power—to support EV manufacturing.

Importance of this

• Uttar Pradesh leads India in EV adoption, with strong emphasis on affordability, subsidies, and rapidly scaling infrastructure.
• The state's aggressive incentive structure draws major national and global investors—supporting sustainable development, local jobs, and technology transfer.
• The ecosystem benefits widely—from e‑rickshaw operators and MSMEs to millennials and professionals entering the green economy.

Context

• The Uttar Pradesh Agritech Innovation Hub and Agritech Startup and Technology Showcase were inaugurated at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Minister Jayant Chaudhary.

Aim

• The hub aims to use technology and innovation to support farmers, empower rural youth, and promote sustainable agriculture in Uttar Pradesh.
• The hub aims to provide the latest technology and equip the agriculture sector with the same.
• The hub will help in increasing farmers income and will establish Uttar Pradesh as an Agricultural Technological Hub.

Features

• The hub is equipped with IoT sensors, smart irrigation, automation, and real-time analytics for precision farming.
• IIT Ropar will contribute IoT, automation systems, cloud computing, and up to Rs. 75 lakhs, and will provide technical expertise and training.
• An MoU was signed between IIT Ropar and SVPUAT for collaboration in agritech research and education.
• The event included a technology demonstration at the Model Smart Farm, an exhibition of 20 agritech startups, and recognition of progressive farmers.
• Training and knowledge transfer will be provided through workshops, engaging Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Farmer Producer Organisations.

Training, Outreach and Farmer Empowerment

• Capacity Building: The hub will hold training sessions and workshops for farmers, students, and rural youth. It will also work with local farm support centres like Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
• Felicitations: Some farmers who are already using modern and eco-friendly methods were honoured and appreciated during the event.

Broader Agri Ecosystem and Future Impact

• Holistic Innovation Ecosystem: This hub brings together farmers, scientists, young entrepreneurs, colleges, and state agriculture departments to create the best local solutions for farming.
• Goal: The main aim is to solve real farm problems — like soil testing, crop planning, and selling produce — using smart technology to improve village incomes.
• Climate Resilience & Sustainability: This effort is expected to increase farm productivity, protect the environment, and improve farmers’ earnings, especially in North India.