THE STATE Government on Saturday announced to establish a universityfor the handicapped in the name of Dr Shakuntala Mishra, mother of BSPgeneral secretary SC Mishra, who is also an MP.  The university willcome up in Lucknow.A state cabinet meeting presided over by ChiefMinister Mayawati gave the go-ahead to the project.

Mayawati toldnewspersons that initially the university was proposed underpublic-private partnership (PPP) and SC Mishra had offered to take upthe project through the Dr Shakuntala Mishra Smriti Sewa Trust.

 "Butin view of some vested interests making efforts to damage the image ofSC Mishra, he decided to withdraw the proposal,” Mayawati said, adding"the Cabinet has thus okayed the proposal to establish Dr ShakuntalaMishra UP Handicapped University" in Lucknow.

Earlier, theCabinet at its meeting on May 23, 2008 had decided to give 71.471 acreof land of Handicapped Welfare Department to the trust on annual rentlease of Re 1 for the university. The Cabinet had then also decided tomake budgetary provisions for the construction of boundary wall,electricity, water and road in the proposed university.   

However,in view of the emerging controversy, managing trustee Kalpana Mishrawrote to the chief minister disassociating herself from the project,Mayawati said. The chief minister said the government accepted thedecision of the trust.

In view of contribution of Dr ShakuntalaMishra to the welfare of handicapped the government has now decided toset up the university in her name, Mayawati said. It would be firstgovernment-owned university for handicapped in the state. The chiefminister said the cabinet had also decided to increase pension ofSecond World War soldiers and widows from Rs 1000 to Rs 2500.