Yogi cabinet transfers delayed JPNIC project to LDA for completion

Lucknow : In a key decision during Thursday’s cabinet meeting, the Yogi Adityanath government transferred the long-delayed Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) project to the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA). The centre, which allegedly was mired in corruption during the previous Samajwadi Party government, will now be completed and operated by the LDA. The society set up for its management has been dissolved.

The cabinet resolved to dissolve the JPNIC Society and hand over the project to LDA in its current state. LDA will now oversee the completion, operation, and maintenance of the centre. The LDA has been granted full authority to run the project through private participation, define operational procedures and terms, terminate the society’s memberships, and carry out other related tasks. This decision marks a significant step towards ensuring transparent, efficient, and public-oriented utilisation of the project.

As part of the decision, the Rs 821.74 crore released so far by the state government for the project will be treated as a loan transferred to LDA, to be repaid over 30 years. This arrangement ensures financial sustainability in managing and operating the project while making the facility available for public use.

The JPNIC project envisions the development of a modern, world-class centre in Lucknow. It will include a state-level auditorium, a convention centre, a world-class sports complex, and multi-purpose sports courts. Additionally, the centre will have a multi-level parking facility for 750 four-wheelers. These amenities will be open to the public, offering the people of Lucknow a modern, multi-functional facility.

Initiated in 2013 by the then Samajwadi Party government, the JPNIC project had been plagued by corruption from the outset. After coming to power in 2017, the Yogi government launched an investigation into irregularities, halting construction. A CAG report revealed serious violations such as work awarded without tenders and unexplained cost escalations. Despite spending over ₹860 crore, the project remained incomplete. The Yogi government has now taken definitive action to complete it through the LDA.

LDA has also been authorised to bring in private partners for project operations under a revenue-sharing or lease model through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process. This will not only ensure the completion of remaining work but also provide for long-term maintenance and operation without additional government expenditure. The model is designed to make the project self-sustaining and beneficial to the public.

The Yogi government’s decision is a significant move toward making JPNIC accessible to the public. Inactive for the past eight years, the centre will now be operated by LDA following the model of the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan. It is expected to emerge as a major cultural, sports, and convention hub not just for Lucknow but for all of Uttar Pradesh. This effort marks a constructive step in reviving a tainted project and putting it to use for the greater good.