Akhilesh's largesse in giving awards comes under Adityanath's scanner

The Yash Bharti award comprises a cash reward of Rs 11 lakh and a monthly pension of Rs 50,000

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s largesse in giving awards and pension has come under his successor Yogi Adityanath’s scanner.

During its five-year rule (2012-2017), the Akhilesh government had rather liberally conferred Yash Bharti awards without any set criteria. Several individuals, who were merely close to the ruling dispensation or its top leaders, benefited under this generosity.

People here still remember how the female emcee of the Yash Bharti awards ceremony in Lucknow was spontaneously presented with the award, while she was calling out the names, which had been previously announced. A chit from Akhilesh was sent to her