Viksit UP @2047: Women-led empowerment driving record economic growth

Lucknow, Sept 2025: Over the past eight and a half years, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s unwavering efforts have created an environment where both daughters and entrepreneurs feel secure. This sense of safety has empowered women to become increasingly self-reliant, while fostering a robust climate for trade and industry. Building on this foundation, the Chief Minister has envisioned ‘Viksit UP @2047’, where women’s empowerment and thriving businesses form the core pillars of the state’s progress.

Before 2017, Uttar Pradesh grappled with lawlessness, mafia dominance, and rising crime that hit women, traders, and industrialists the hardest. Fear and extortion forced girls out of schools and businessmen out of the state, while unemployment rose to 6.2%, labor participation lagged at 44.6%, and female participation was stuck at just 13.5%. Investors stayed away, factories shut down, and industrial growth came to a halt, worsening the jobs crisis.

The Yogi government’s zero-tolerance policy against crime transformed Uttar Pradesh into a state of security and confidence. Criminals were jailed, neutralized, or forced to flee, paving the way for women’s safety, investor trust, and rapid economic revival. Labor force participation jumped from 44.6% to 56.9%, female participation rose from 13.5% to 34.5%, and unemployment fell to 3%. The MSME sector alone created 1.65 crore jobs, industrial loans tripled from Rs 3.54 lakh crore to Rs 9.24 lakh crore, and investment proposals worth Rs 45 lakh crore were secured, with Rs 15 lakh crore already under execution.

Industrial activity in the state has witnessed a new momentum. The number of registered factories has nearly doubled—from 14,169 to 27,295. Under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, 77 products have secured GI tags, giving Uttar Pradesh the top spot nationally. With 96 lakh MSME units—the highest in the country—Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a hub of employment generation while carving a strong identity in global markets.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath considers women empowerment as the cornerstone of Viksit UP @2047. The government aims to raise the female labor participation rate to 50 percent by 2030, and bring it on par with men by 2047. To achieve this, special focus is being placed on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education, technical training and entrepreneurship opportunities for women, alongside stronger welfare, nutrition, and healthcare services. By 2030, every city will have dedicated hostels for women workers, with expanded facilities by 2047.

The roadmap for Uttar Pradesh also emphasizes leadership in manufacturing exports and FDI by 2047. The state is preparing to position at least five industrial companies in the Fortune Global 500 list, with aerospace, defence manufacturing, apparel, electric vehicles, and semiconductors identified as strategic growth sectors.

The Chief Minister has underlined that Uttar Pradesh’s future industries will not only generate employment but also set benchmarks for sustainable development. Efforts are being directed toward improving ease of doing business, strengthening green manufacturing, developing industrial infrastructure, adopting advanced technologies, and integrating MSMEs into the global value chain.

Under Viksit UP @2047, the state has set an ambitious goal of achieving a $6 trillion economy. For this, an average growth rate of 16 percent will have to be maintained from 2025 to 2047. At present, the state’s GDP is 353 billion dollars, which will be increased to 1000 billion by 2030, 2000 billion by 2036 and 6000 billion dollars by 2047. At that time, the per capita income will be up to Rs 26 lakh, and UP will contribute 20 per cent to the country’s total GDP.