LUCKNOW, Feb. 19 -- The government on Wednesday assured the Uttar Pradesh legislative council that it would explore ways to continue the old manual vehicle fitness testing system in districts where Automated Vehicle Testing Stations (ATS) were yet to be established. The assurance came during Question Hour after the issue was raised by BJP member Devendra Pratap Singh, who sought clarity on the suspension of vehicle fitness tests in Mahoba since January 1. Responding to the query, minister of state for transport (independent charge) Dayashankar Singh said ATS were being set up in accordance with guidelines issued by the Union ministry of road transport and highways. He said that Mahoba had been linked to Jhansi for vehicle fitness tests and that up to three ATS were proposed in each district. However, members across party lines flagged concerns over the inconvenience caused by sending vehicles to other districts for automated testing, calling it a waste of time, fuel and money. They demanded that at least school buses and hospital vehicles be exempted and allowed to undergo manual fitness tests until ATS facilities are set up locally. Several members supported the demand, suggesting that instead of tagging districts without ATS to neighbouring districts, the old manual system should be restored temporarily. Leader of the House Keshav Prasad Maurya said the government was in consultation with the Centre to resolve the issue. He added that a letter seeking restoration of the old system in districts lacking ATS infrastructure had already been sent to the Union government. Seeking to corner the government in the Uttar Pradesh legislative council on Wednesday over privatisation, outsourcing and their adverse fallouts, the opposition accused it of pushing the policy despite promises of permanent jobs for youth. Led by leader of the opposition Lal Bihari Yadav, Samajwadi Party (SP) members, including Balram Yadav, Ashutosh Sinha and Man Singh Yadav, alleged that regular recruitment in government departments and public sector undertakings had declined, weakening job security....