Wings to aspiration

The fair sex failed to get a fair deal in the country in the past but this is no more the case as women are being not only provided all kinds of security but growth opportunities as well. In the past nine and a half years, emergence of a New India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh has brought about many changes where women are getting what they deserve, without any discrimination on the basis of caste, religion or for their being women. They are being brought into the mainstream by ensuring their participation everywhere.

The commitment of both the government — the Centre as well as the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh — is such that all government schemes are reaching the underprivileged, including women. The double-engine government's agenda is dedicated to the welfare of villages, poor, farmers, and youth, with women folks at the centre.

Today, we can see a New India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from where discrimination based on factors such as caste, creed, religion, region, language, or gender has been completely eliminated. Now work is being done with the spirit of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, and Sabka Prayas.’ New schemes are being launched for those who need special protection, encouragement and support to match with the pace of growth others in the country are enjoying.

To accomplish all the above-mentioned objectives, the Yogi government is running a slew of schemes to facilitate such women who need any governmental or institutional assistance. The development-focused approach of the double engine government, highlighting the progress being made across various sectors such as roads, drinking water and sports facilities in infrastructure along with Jan Dhan Yojna, MUDRA, Start Ups, and Stand Up schemes are making them self-reliant. To eliminate any distinction between sons and daughters, the Yogi government has raised the grant provided through the Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Scheme from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 starting next year.

Security of women has been the major concern for not only women but their families as well. Fear used to grip the family when a woman of the family used to step out of the house for any work. The Yogi government became active to deal with this menace from its previous tenure and successfully erased the fear from the minds of people of the state. Over 1,678 Anti-Romeo Squad teams are at work to ensure safety of girls and women in Uttar Pradesh. The government runs a special campaign against goons all across the state at the instruction of chief minister Yogi Adityanath. In the past six months, checking was done at 30 lakh locations, over 7,000 cases were registered and 9,512 were arrested. Anti-Romeo Squad ran a special campaign to crackdown on eve-teasers and other wrongdoers across the state. This six-month-long campaign involved active participation of 1,678 Anti-Romeo squads, comprising 3,324 male and 4,090 female police personnel. These squads conducted extensive inspections at 30,76,246 locations throughout the state, which included various settings such as schools and public areas like intersections, markets, malls, parks, and other public places. Over 1,34,33,261 persons were inspected at these locations while 7,563 cases were registered and 9,512 persons were arrested during the six-month drive. A total of 48,92,991 persons were released with a warning. The Anti-Romeo Squad took action at zonal and Commissionerate level across Uttar Pradesh.

The state government’s initiatives to empower women have boosted female participation in the labour force which witnessed a 17.9 per cent increase in Uttar Pradesh over the past six years. According to the latest findings from the Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS), the state's female labour force participation rate soared from a mere 14.2 per cent in 2017-18 to an impressive 32.10 per cent in 2022-23 which is a remarkable feat by any measure.

Under the adept guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, dedicated efforts were made to uplift women in the state, resulting in this substantial increase. The CM's personal oversight of these initiatives has created an environment where women feel secure and respected, propelling them towards self-reliance at an unprecedented pace. As per the report, India recorded a female labour force participation rate of 39.80 per cent in the financial year 2022-23, while Uttar Pradesh reported a rate of 32.10 per cent. In stark contrast, in the financial year 2017-18, India's female labour force participation rate stood at 25.3 per cent, with Uttar Pradesh lagging even further behind at 14.2 per cent. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on women's empowerment at the national level, combined with chief minister Yogi Adityanath's emphasis on women's self-reliance in Uttar Pradesh, has played a pivotal role in bolstering women's participation in the workforce across the country.

With the Yogi government's proactive approach, women are getting fully benefited from both the central and state schemes as well as availing various other opportunities to advance in their professional lives in Uttar Pradesh. Notable initiatives include the Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao campaign, which has raised awareness among 1.90 crore daughters of Uttar Pradesh, and the Mission Shakti campaign, which has benefited 8.99 crore women.

Additionally, 1,89,789 Anganwadi centres have been approved while 1,89,014 centres are currently operational. A total network of 10 lakh Self-Help Groups at the moment has connected over one crore women in the state, while more than two lakh women have benefited from the PM SVANidhi Yojana. Besides, BC Sakhi (Bank Correspondent) scheme has been appointed in over 57,000 gram panchayats, and more than 1.5 lakh women have secured government jobs in Uttar Pradesh. These initiatives have provided women with the necessary resources and support to thrive in various sectors, ensuring that they derive maximum benefits from a range of government programs, schemes, assistance and even loans.

The initiative taken by the Uttar Pradesh government is changing the lives of women in the state, giving them wings to scale to such heights that they dreamt of. The Yogi government is helping them to realise those dreams and create their own space in the society. Now women in Uttar Pradesh stand counted by availing these benefits.

Views expressed are personal