Chief Minister launches ‘Lokmata Ahilyabai Matrushakti Yatra’ scheme, women aged 60 years and above in the state to be able to travel free of cost in Transport Corporation buses
Women are moving from the chulha to cheques, from cheques to businesses and from businesses to technology: Chief Minister
Before 2017, the ‘dark shadow’ of commission-taking loomed over every scheme in UP: Chief Minister
Before 2017, daughters were afraid even to dream; we will take women’s participation to 50 percent: CM
Lucknow, August 2026 : Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced several gifts for women just ahead of Raksha Bandhan. He announced that 50,000 female undergraduate students would be given scooters in October-November. The CM launched the ‘Lokmata Ahilyabai Matrushakti Yatra’ scheme, under which women aged 60 years and above in the state will be able to travel free of cost in Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation buses. The CM also mentioned that women and one companion would be provided free bus travel from August 27 to 29 on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
He said that women of the state are now moving from the chulha to cheques, from cheques to businesses and from businesses to technology.
At the program organized at Indira Pratishthan, the Chief Minister stated, "There are approximately 12.5 crore women in UP. The government is a partner in the journey of women’s security, dignity, self-reliance and leadership. Our policy is that every daughter, sister and mother should feel self-reliant. The double-engine government has worked to connect the journey of a daughter from her birth to her education, security, employment, income and the flight of her dreams with an ecosystem."
The CM asked sisters to tie Raksha Sutras to their brothers, soldiers, ex-servicemen, and police personnel on Raksha Bandhan and help strengthen the security ecosystem.
The CM said, "When the country was under the grip of Mughal invaders, Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar had presented an ideal example of good governance, preservation of spiritual and cultural heritage, and women’s self-reliance. Lokmata had undertaken the restoration of hundreds of temples across the country, including Kashi Vishwanath and Somnath. Hostels for working women are being constructed in the name of Ahilyabai Holkar in all the districts of Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Bareilly, Prayagraj, Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Jhansi. Each hostel will have arrangements for the free accommodation of 500 working women."
CM Yogi stated that, because of PM Modi Ji, a comprehensive action plan was prepared for the first time to connect women with government schemes. We provide security, dignity, and self-reliance at every stage of life. Every decision, scheme and budget of the government is dedicated to fulfilling these objectives. The government ensured that women receive adequate representation.
The CM said, "Before 2017, 'Dekha Sapaai, bitiya ghabraai’ was the name of the then governance model, when the security of every daughter was under threat. Without security or dignity, how could there be self-reliance? There was no integrated helpline, command system, CCTV network, women beat system, or women help desk. Middlemen decided pensions and scholarships. Mafias controlled supplementary nutrition. Disturbances occurred before festivals. When curfews were imposed, mothers and sisters faced the greatest difficulties.”
He informed, “Land, sand, forest, cattle, cheating, and land mafias were the identity of the state. Mafia syndicates ran a parallel government. In Bundelkhand, mothers spent their lives carrying water in pots. Poor families did not have toilets. The ‘dark shadow’ of commission-taking loomed over every scheme, including old-age pension, destitute women’s pension and scholarships. Money meant for schemes disappeared midway. On a daughter’s birthday, there was not happiness but concern, because the family saw the burden of her education and marriage.”
He said, "If half of the population remained confined to their homes, UP was bound to become a Bimaru state. Earlier, women’s workforce participation in UP was only 12 percent, and now it has reached 36 percent. Our goal is for women’s participation to reach 50 percent. Now daughters are working night shifts without worry. Today, half of the population is the focal point of every scheme. We have provided daughters with physical, mental, and health security. Today, there are Mission Shakti Kendras, an AI-based Safe City network in every city, and an integrated response system of 1090 and 112. For anyone who breaches the security of a daughter, jail or hell is the only place."
The CM stated, "Before 2017, cheating had become an industry. A meritorious daughter worked hard, but a moneyed mafia auctioned degrees. A daughter was afraid not only to catch a bus, but even to dream. Remembering that era gives one goosebumps. At that time, there were riots, curfews, disturbances, insecurity, dishonesty in schemes, and corruption. Still, when the wheel of dharma changed, and the double-engine government came to UP, disturbances turned into celebrations."
The CM said, "Uttar Pradesh was the first in the country to deploy women police. In UP, there were 10,000 women police personnel in 2017, and now the number has increased to 45,000. We made recruiting 20 percent women mandatory in police recruitment. Currently, the recruitment process for 32,000 is underway. After the new recruitment, the number of women in the police force will reach 50,000. Previous governments had abolished 54 PAC companies. Along with their reconstitution, we established three women PAC battalions, Uda Devi in Lucknow, Jhalkari Bai in Gorakhpur and Avanti Bai in Badaun."
He continued, saying, "Pink booths and One Stop Centers are now properly available. Once a complaint is registered, we have tracking, timelines, and accountability in place. Earlier, a daughter’s security depended on fate; today it depends on the system, data and technology. The government is guaranteeing that a daughter can leave home, work or do business and return home safely at night.
He added, saying, “Dignity comes when there is a toilet, electricity, smoke-free fuel in the kitchen and tap water in a woman’s home, money reaches her account directly, and the government stands with her in times of adversity. Toilets in every home were the foundation of the dignity of mothers and sisters. ‘Ujjwala’ not only provided relief from smoke, but also freed women from diseases that damage the lungs. While pucca houses provided security to families, the Jal Jeevan Mission has brought major changes in time and labor. DBT removed middlemen and began transferring money directly into beneficiaries’ accounts.”
The CM said, "We have also connected different stages of a woman’s life with policy support. Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana became a platform providing educational support from birth to graduation. The mass marriage scheme relieved fathers of their concerns. The government is providing Rs 1 lakh for a daughter’s marriage. Under destitute, old-age, and Divyangjan pensions, 1.10 crore families are receiving Rs 12,000 annually."
He further informed, "The Samajwadi Party used to give Rs 300 and also consumed half of it. We stopped the Samajwadis' loot. More than one crore women have been given ownership rights in the form of a gharouni for the houses where they live in rural areas. Housing has been provided to 65 lakh families, while nutrition for mothers and children is being ensured through Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana and Mukhyamantri Suposhan Yojana. Institutional deliveries have increased significantly, which has brought maternal and infant mortality rates to a minimum. We have provided facilities and ownership to half of the population."
The CM said, “A woman who earns income gains decision-making ability, and a woman who creates her identity gains confidence. A woman's economic contribution strengthens the economy of the village and the family. Half of the digital entrepreneurs in 8,000 Nyaya Panchayats will be women. The government will strengthen half of the population and the rural economy. Women are operating local activities such as farming, animal husbandry, food processing, retail and handicrafts through Self-Help Groups. BC Sakhis are providing banking services in villages. Namo Drone Didis are bringing a new revolution in the agriculture sector.”
He stated, "More than 4 lakh sisters working in Balini-Kashi, Samarthya, Srijini and Baba Gorakhnath Milk Producer Company in 31 districts have moved towards economic self-reliance. Women farmers' participation in FPOs has increased. Thousands of women have become entrepreneurs under ODOP and MSME. Women account for 50 percent of participation in the startup ecosystem. Self-reliance will be complete only when women have not only products but also markets. Arrangements have also been made to connect women’s groups with branding, packaging, marketing, taking products to exhibitions and digital commerce."
He further added that models such as She-Mart are moving toward providing dedicated retail platforms and markets for SHG products. We have created a model in which products of women entrepreneurs are made in villages, while their branding and delivery reach across the state, the country and the world. The economic self-reliance of half of the population will be complete only when sisters also sit at the decision-making table.
The Chief Minister said, "Giving women representation is not charity, but economic integration. Women’s representation has increased in panchayats and local bodies. Daughters are winning medals at the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World and National Championships. Recently, Uttar Pradesh’s Sub-Inspector Asmita Dey won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. Born in Tripura, this daughter received the right environment and platform in UP. Women are providing leadership in every field, including administration, the army, education and start-ups. The effort is to ensure that half of the population receives representation in the same proportion."
The CM also mentioned the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam and said that the Samajwadi Party and Congress opposed it.
Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh, Mayor Sushma Kharkwal, Rajya Sabha MP Brijlal, Legislative Council members Lalji Prasad Nirmal, Avnish Singh and Umesh Dwivedi, MLAs Neeraj Bora, Amaresh Kumar and OP Srivastava, among others, were present at the occasion.
