Lucknow, 26 Aug (HS): Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave

many gifts to women power just before Rakshabandhan. He announced that 50,000

daughters studying in graduation will be given scooties in October-November. On

Wednesday, the Chief Minister launched the 'Lokmata Ahilyabai Matrishakti

Yatra' scheme, under which women of the state aged 60 years and above will be

able to travel free of cost in the buses of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport

Corporation. Yogi also mentioned about providing free bus travel facility to a

woman and one companion from August 27-29 on the occasion of Rakshabandhan. He

said that the women of the state are now moving from kitchen to cheque, from

cheque to business and from business to technology.

In a program organized at Indira Pratishthan on Wednesday,

the Chief Minister said that Uttar Pradesh has a population of about 12.5

crore. The government is a partner in the journey of women's safety, respect,

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 ecosystem with the birth of a daughter, her education, security,

employment, income and the flight of her dreams. He appealed to the sisters to

contribute in strengthening the ecosystem of security by tying Rakhi to their

brothers as well as soldiers, ex-servicemen and police personnel on

Rakshabandhan.

Yogi said that when the country was under the grip of Mughal

invaders, Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar presented an ideal example of good

governance, preservation of spiritual/cultural heritage, and women's

self-reliance. Lokmata had renovated hundreds of temples in 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, Jhansi. Each hostel will have free accommodation for 500 working

women.

The government increased the representation of half the

population: Chief Minister Yogi said that thanks to Prime Minister Modi, for

the first time, a comprehensive action plan was developed to connect half the

population with government schemes. Security, respect, and self-reliance are

guaranteed at every stage of life. Every government decision, plan, and budget

is dedicated to fulfilling these objectives. The government has ensured that

half the population receives adequate representation.

Seeing SP men, daughter got scared: He said that before

2017, the slogan Dekh Sapai-Beti Ghabrai was a reference to the

then-current governance model, when every daughter's safety was threatened.

Without security and respect, how could self-reliance exist? There was no

integrated helpline, command system, CCTV network, women's beat system, or

women's helpdesk. Pensions and scholarships were decided by middlemen. The

mafia controlled nutrition. Riots erupted before festivals. Mothers and sisters

suffered the most during curfews. Land, sand, forest, animal, copy, and land

mafias were the hallmarks of the state. Mafia syndicates operated as parallel

rulers. In Bundelkhand, mothers spent their lives carrying water in pots. The

poor had no toilets. The dark shadow of commissions loomed over every scheme,

including old-age pensions, destitute women's pensions, and scholarships. Funds

for these schemes would disappear midway. A daughter's birthday was not

celebrated, but rather filled with worry, as the family faced the burden of

education and marriage.

Daughters were once afraid to even dream: The Chief Minister

said that before 2017, counterfeiting had become an industry. Brilliant girls

worked hard, but wealthy mafias auctioned off their degrees. Girls were afraid

not only to catch a bus, but even to dream. Remembering that era brings

goosebumps. Back then, there were riots, curfews, disturbances, insecurity,

dishonesty in schemes, and corruption. But the tide turned and the

double-engine government came to power in Uttar Pradesh, and the disturbances

turned into celebrations.

UP to have 50,000 women police officers after new

recruitment: He said that for the first time in the country, women beat police

were deployed in Uttar Pradesh. In 2017, there were 10,000 women police

officers in Uttar Pradesh. Now, this number has increased to 45,000. We have

made it mandatory to recruit 20 percent of women in police recruitment.

Currently, 32,000 are in the recruitment process. 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 formation, we established

three women PAC battalions (Uda Devi in Lucknow, Jhalkari Bai in Gorakhpur,

and Avanti Bai in Badaun). There is now a proper system of Pink Booths and One

Stop Centers. There is also tracking, timeline, and accountability after a

complaint is filed. Earlier, a daughter's safety depended on luck; today it

relies on systems, data, and technology. The government is guaranteeing that a

daughter can leave home, go to work/business, and return home safely at night.

Half of digital entrepreneurs will be women: Yogi said that

the decision-making ability of a woman who earns income and the confidence of a

woman who creates an identity increases. The economy of the village and the

family becomes stronger due to the economic contribution of a woman. Half the

number of digital entrepreneurs in 8000 Nyay Panchayats will be women. The

government will strengthen half the population and the rural economy. Women are

running local activities like farming, animal husbandry, food processing,

retail, handicraft etc. through self-help groups. BC Sakhi is providing banking

services in every village. Namo Drone Didi is bringing a new revolution in the

agriculture sector.

The Chief Minister stated that women's representation is not

charity, but economic integration. Women's representation in Panchayats and

local bodies has increased. Girls are winning medals in the Olympics, Asian

Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, and National Championships.

Recently, Uttar Pradesh's Sub-Inspector, Asmita Dey, won a gold medal at the

Commonwealth Games. Born in Tripura, this girl found the right environment and

platform in Uttar Pradesh. Half the population is providing leadership in every

field, including administration, the military, education, and startups. Efforts

are underway to ensure that this half receives equal representation. The Chief

Minister also mentioned the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, noting that the Samajwadi

Party (SP) and Congress opposed it. Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh, Mayor

Sushma Kharwal, Rajya Sabha MP Brajlal, Legislative Council members Lalji

Prasad Nirmal, Avneesh Singh, Umesh Dwivedi, MLAs Neeraj Bora, Amresh Kumar,

and OP Srivastava were present at the ceremony.

Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi