LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the fifth edition of Mission Shakti-- “Mission Shakti-5.0” -- campaign, dedicated to women’s safety, dignity, and self-reliance, here on Saturday.
While speaking on the occasion, the CM said that while the daughters used to be unsafe once, they were now confidently charting their own course.
Emphasising that women’s respect remained his government’s top priority, Yogi highlighted the unprecedented transformation in the status of women in Uttar Pradesh since 2017, saying: “When the government’s intentions are clear, schemes naturally find their way.”
Chief Minister also launched Mission Shakti Centres in all 1,647 police stations across the state by pressing a button.
He released the centres’ SOP manuals, information booklets, and the "Sashakt Nari, Samradh Pradesh” folder.
CM Yogi recalled that when Mission Shakti began in 2020, many were uncertain about its scope, theme, and impact. However, with its focus on women’s safety, dignity, and self-reliance, the campaign has since achieved remarkable results.
“Mission Shakti has shown women the path to safety, respect, and independence, and today its positive outcomes are visible everywhere,” he added.
Highlighting women’s growing representation in the police force, the Chief Minister noted that since independence, Uttar Pradesh had only 10,000 women police personnel.
However, since 2017, the number had risen to over 44,000.
He added that 20% women’s participation was now mandatory in every recruitment. In the recent recruitment of 60,200 police personnel, over 12,000 women joined the police force and were currently undergoing training.
CM Yogi added that women’s recruitment was being encouraged across education and other sectors as well.
Touching upon the improvement in school education, the CM noted that over 16 million children were currently studying under the Basic Education Council.
“Before 2017, 70–75% of girls attended school barefoot and in worn-out clothes." He even recalled an incident from Bundelkhand where a young girl once told him that the shoes in the family were bought only for her brother, not for her, as she was a girl.
“This deeply moved me, forcing me to bring about reforms to ensure that every child receives two uniforms, a school bag, books, shoes, socks, and sweaters, benefits worth Rs 1,200 per child,” said Yogi.
CM Yogi Adityanath, while highlighting Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana, said that a financial package of Rs 25,000 was provided to every daughter from birth to graduation.
“This includes Rs 5,000 at birth, Rs 2,000 after vaccination at one year, Rs 3,000 each in the first and sixth grades, Rs 5,000 in the ninth grade, and Rs 7,000 upon passing class 12. More than 26 lakh daughters have directly benefited from this scheme,” said the CM.
Similarly, under the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana, financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh was provided to each daughter set for marriage.
The Chief Minister further emphasised that both central and state government initiatives—such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Fit India Movement, Swachh Bharat Mission (12 crore toilets), and Ujjwala Yojana (10 crore connections)—had transformed women’s lives, freeing them from health hazards like smoke-filled kitchens and ensuring dignity.
“Healthy women build strong families,” he said, underlining that schemes like Ayushman Bharat (benefitting 50 crore people) and free ration for 80 crore citizens are directly tied to women’s dignity.
The CM added that in Uttar Pradesh alone, over a crore women were added to three crore rural land records, and housing was provided to 60 lakh poor families.
CM Yogi also cited the Banking Correspondent Sakhi Scheme, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, under which over 40,000 women were handling transactions worth thousands of crores and earning livelihoods.
He recalled how, earlier, the Nutrition Mission was marred by contractor-led corruption, but now 60,000 women were earning Rs 8,000 per month through 204 take-home ration plants, benefiting two crore women.
“When the government’s intentions are clear, schemes succeed on their own,” he remarked.
Speaking about women’s safety, the Chief Minister said that from January 1, 2024, to the financial year 2024-25, 12,271 criminals were convicted in 9,513 cases related to offences against women.
“These included 12 death sentences, 987 life imprisonments, 3,455 sentences of over 10 years, and 60,817 sentences of less than 10 years.”
Referring to a Bareilly incident, he shared how criminals from outside the state tried to threaten women’s safety but, after swift police action, the miscreant admitted: “I came to Uttar Pradesh by mistake and will never repeat this.”
On the occasion, CM Yogi also released the “Sashakt Nari, Samradh Pradesh” folder under Mission Shakti and highlighted various helplines dedicated to women’s safety—1090, 181, 112, 1930, 1076, 102, 101, 108, and 1098. He said that Mission Shakti centres and women beat officers will be established in every police station.