On the lines of Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh is also set to get a State Capital Region, including Lucknow and five other districts. This move by the State Government is aimed at controlling the increasing population and catering to the growing infrastructural demands.

This past Friday, UP Governor designated an area around Lucknow as the State Capital Region, including Barabanki, Rae Bareli, Unnao, Sitapur, and Hardoi. Covering these districts, the entire SCR region will stretch across an area of 27,826 square kilometres.

Initiated in September 2022, the plan to set up the SCR was fueled by the need to balance the pressure of the increased population of Lucknow. Once set up, the State Capital Region will allow the State Government to plan the development systematically -- distributing it evenly across the designated area. Further, UP's Chief Minister will head the Uttar Pradesh State Capital Region Development Authority (UP-SCRDA), set up to administer the area.