Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced upcoming welfare packages for farmers affected by natural disasters and for women seeking economic self-reliance, alongside subsidised food canteens at agricultural mandis and labour hubs for construction workers.
The announcements were made at an event where the state distributed free LPG cylinders to 1.98 crore beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. The chief minister said the government would soon unveil a special package for farmers who have suffered losses because of adverse climatic conditions. He added that a separate package for women would focus on helping them become economically self-reliant. Details of both packages were not disclosed.
Adityanath said the proposed farmer package was being planned for nearly three crore farmers. He referred to excessive rainfall, drought and hailstorms as among the challenges affecting agriculture, and said standing crops had been damaged twice in the previous fortnight because of heavy rain and storms. The chief minister said the government was already providing immediate relief but was working on a larger support package.
The state government will also launch Annapurna Canteens at mandis, where farmers will be able to access subsidised meals. Annapurna Bhojanalayas are additionally planned at labour hubs being developed for construction workers. The announcements place food support at locations where farmers and workers gather for trading, employment and access to services, although the operating model, subsidy levels and launch dates have not been announced.
Speaking about the women’s package, the chief minister said the government wanted women to lead lives marked by security, dignity and self-reliance. He urged women to pursue their aspirations and said the state would support them in their efforts. The announcement did not specify the beneficiaries, funding allocation, delivery mechanism or programmes that would form part of the package.
The LPG distribution was linked to Uttar Pradesh’s existing scheme of providing two free refills each year to Ujjwala beneficiaries. One refill is provided ahead of Diwali and the other before Holi. According to the chief minister, the scheme involves an additional annual expenditure of Rs 1,500 crore for the state government.
Adityanath said the Ujjwala scheme was intended to reduce the hardship faced by women by expanding access to clean cooking fuel. He also said that the benefits of government programmes should reach every section of society without discrimination. His remarks included criticism of previous Congress and Samajwadi Party governments and claims that law and order had improved under the current administration.
The announcements come with only a few months remaining before notification for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, according to the report. The immediate next steps are the release of details for the farmer and women’s packages and the establishment of the proposed Annapurna facilities at mandis and construction-worker labour hubs.
