With support from Yogi government, young entrepreneurs are realizing the vision of 'Atmanirbhar Uttar Pradesh'

Lucknow: Under Yogi government, ambitious schemes are turning the vision of a self-reliant UP and women empowerment into reality. Government aims to make youth and women not just job seekers but job creators. Soma Gupta’s story reflects this vision in action. With the help of a government scheme, Soma, resident of Singha Khurd village in Lakhimpur Kheri district, is now providing employment to others.

Soma Gupta started her jaggery processing unit in 2022 under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program (PMEGP) through the Uttar Pradesh Khadi and Village Industries Board, availing a loan of ₹25 lakh. Today, her enterprise has strengthened her financial condition and created jobs for several people in her area. During the production season, her unit produces around 18 quintals of jaggery per day. She cultivates sugarcane on 6 acres of land and also purchases additional cane from other farmers. Her products are supplied not only within Uttar Pradesh but also to states like Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, highlighting both her business success and the growing demand for rural products.

Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program (PMEGP) is an important self-employment scheme. In Uttar Pradesh, it is implemented through three agencies, District Industries Centers, Khadi and Village Industries Commission and the Khadi and Village Industries Board. The scheme promotes employment by helping establish new micro-enterprises in both rural and urban areas. It also provides government subsidies on project costs, up to ₹50 lakh for manufacturing and ₹20 lakh for the service sector.