LUCKNOW, July 25 -- Ahead of the upcoming panchayat elections, the Uttar Pradesh government is set to redraw the urban landscape of the state by expanding the boundaries of existing cities and upgrading rural pockets into new urban local bodies. The initiative, aimed at public welfare, is intended to enhance access to civic services and augment the financial capacity of municipal institutions.

According to senior officials in the urban development department, the move is expected to increase the state's urban population share from the current 22% to approximately 35%, marking a substantial shift in the rural-urban governance balance. This expansion will bring more people under the ambit of structured urban governance, enabling better del...