Lucknow, June 20 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday launched its own news portal.

The website, which will provide detailed information about various districts, schemes and projects, was aimed at giving the state government a neutral platform to reach out to the masses, officials told IANS.

Launching the website, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said the government wanted information about the state to be accessed by the people of the state and elsewhere as well.

Clarifying that the Samajwadi Party (SP) government was not against English, the 43-year-old chief minister said they wanted equal footing for the Hindi language also.

Saying that socialist ethos was still prevailing in many foreign countries like Germany, Yadav said his government was working for the welfare of all sections of the society.

He also took a potshot at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying the very party that opposed distribution of free laptops to students in the state was now talking of providing free wi-fi at public places.

The newly launched website has sections like state, districts, departments where related information is being posted.

It also has a picture gallery which will largely have photos of the events of the state government, particularly, the chief minister.

Navneet Sehgal, Uttar Pradesh principal secretary (information), who drove the project said IANS that the site would be updated round-the-clock and provide accurate and widespread information about the activities, schemes and projects undertaken by the state government.