The ‘Babua’who slept till noon never cared for the poor: CM Yogi

CM transfers ₹944.55 crore in scholarships to nearly 19 lakh students via DBT

CM targets previous regimes, says nepotism and corruption denied scholarships to poor students

For those who wake up late, even sunrise loses its meaning: CM Yogi

CM extends warm greetings to the people of the state on the 77th Republic Day

Lucknow, January 2026 : On Sunday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a sharp attack on previous governments during a scholarship distribution programme held at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Lucknow, questioning their commitment to the education of poor students. “How could a ‘Babua’ who sleeps till noon ever worry about the education of children from poor families?” he remarked. He said, “Due to nepotism, corruption and administrative negligence under earlier regimes, welfare schemes like scholarships failed to reach the truly needy.”

On the occasion, the Chief Minister transferred ₹944.55 crore towards scholarships and fee reimbursement for the financial year 2025–26 directly into the bank accounts of 18,78,726 students through a transparent Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. He also extended heartfelt greetings to the people of the state on the 77th Republic Day.
Addressing the gathering, CM Yogi said that previous governments never prioritised the education of underprivileged children. “Those who wake up after sunrise find even the idea of sunrise meaningless. Such people can neither serve the poor nor think about the welfare of the state,” he said.

He added, “When the intent of the government is honest, and policies are transparent, corruption can be effectively eliminated. In the past, scholarship schemes were marred by corruption at multiple levels, be it flawed intent, nepotism or departmental malpractices, which deprived poor students of their rightful benefits.” Today, he said, with a single click, scholarships have reached nearly 19 lakh students across all categories without any discrimination.

Describing the programme held on the eve of Republic Day as a significant step towards social justice and inclusive development, the Chief Minister said, “It reflects the government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that education reaches the last person in society.”

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Vanchit Ko Variyata, Pichdo Ko Prathmikta’, he said the government’s objective is to ensure that no student is denied education. Through technology-driven governance, e-governance has been transformed into easy and transparent governance, he added.

Highlighting the impact of the scholarship scheme, CM Yogi cited the example of a young woman beneficiary who is now working as a computer assistant at UPRVUNL, calling the self-reliance of daughters the government’s greatest achievement. He said similar initiatives are empowering youth, making them self-reliant and active participants in nation-building.

The Chief Minister also spoke about the transformation of council schools under Operation Kayakalp, noting improvements in infrastructure, availability of teachers, basic facilities and quality education. He said the education ecosystem has been further strengthened through pre-primary education in Anganwadi centres, the Poshan Mission, Kasturba Gandhi schools, Atal Residential Schools and composite schools. Facilities for preparation of competitive examinations such as NEET, JEE and UPSC are being provided under the Abhyudaya Coaching Yojana.

Emphasising holistic development, CM Yogi said, “The government is focusing on skill development, robotics, drone technology and sports infrastructure. Playgrounds are being developed in every village, mini stadiums at the block level, and the Major Dhyan Chand Sports University is under construction in Meerut.”

The Chief Minister also informed that crores of people have benefited from welfare schemes such as old-age pensions, disability pensions, the Chief Minister’s Mass Marriage Scheme and the National Family Benefit Scheme. He said these achievements stem from the spirit of “Nation First” rather than “Family First.” Calling students the foundation of a Viksit Bharat, he assured that the government will continue to make every possible effort to fulfil their aspirations.

Ministers Om Prakash Rajbhar, Asim Arun, Narendra Kashyap and Danish Azad Ansari, along with SC/ST Commission Chairman Baijnath Rawat, were present on the occasion.

On this occasion, the Minister of Panchayati Raj, Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj, Om Prakash Rajbhar, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Social Welfare, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Asim Arun, the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Backward Class Welfare and Divyangjan Empowerment Narendra Kashyap, the Minister of State for Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj, Danish Azad Ansari, and the Chairman of the SC/ST Commission, Baijnath Rawat, were present.