The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet meeting, the second outside Lucknow and first in Ayodhya, was held at Katha Mandap on the banks of Saryu River on Thursday. It is expected that several important proposals related to the city's development will be approved.
The meeting is being held at the Ramkatha Mandap (auditorium) located on the banks of the Saryu river. The museum has been decorated with images of Lord Ram and Hanuman ahead of the meeting.
According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Yogi Adityanath is the first Chief Minister in Uttar Pradesh's history to hold cabinet meetings outside the state capital. "Similar meetings were previously held during the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj in 2019, where cabinet members participated in a holy bath at the Sangam. Additionally, a cabinet meeting was conducted in Kashi. Continuing this tradition, the Yogi Cabinet will now convene in Ayodhya, the revered birthplace of Lord Shri Ram Lalla," an official statement said.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who arrived at Ayodhya along with his cabinet ministers, offered prayers at Hanuman Garhi and the Ram Temple.
Security has been tightened ahead of the meeting and the Anti-Terrorism Squad has been deployed. "We have made the security arrangements for the visit of guests. We will ensure that it doesn't affect the day-to-day routine of the people preparing for Diwali. Enough police force have been deployed," Piyush Morida, ADGP, Lucknow Zone told ANI.
The meeting is likely to focus on development initiatives and preparations for the upcoming Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya.
The date -- November 9 -- holds significance as the Supreme Court on this date in 2019 passed its verdict in the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi case, paving the way for the construction of Ram Temple.
After the cabinet meeting, the ministers will go for Ram Lalla's 'darshan' and may even take a round of the under construction Ram Temple and other prominent temples, including Hanumangarhi temple and Kanak Bhawan, official sources said.