The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday announced a series of big ticket welfare schemes for women and girls in Uttar Pradesh if voted to power in 2027, including ₹ 40,000 annually for below poverty line women under Stree Samman Samriddhi Yojana (Women’s Honour and Prosperity Scheme), free laptops to female students who clear their intermediate (Class 12) examinations as well as free bus services, metro services for girl students travelling to schools and colleges.
The announcement by Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav and Mainpuri MP Dimple Yadav at their first-ever joint press conference at the party headquarters in Lucknow on Wednesday comes just days after a strong buzz about the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party planning to go ahead with big cash incentive schemes for women.
Speaking with an eye on the 2027 assembly elections, the SP president said that the progress of both the country and the state remains incomplete without the active participation of women, whom he described as the “half-population. He announced plans to reopen 26,000 closed primary schools, improve Anganwadi centres, and provide free bus and metro services for girl students travelling to schools and colleges. Also Read I Yogi Adityanath targets Samajwadi Party, says it will be wiped out in 2027 UP elections Highlighting the SP’s past record, he referred to the ‘1090’ women’s helpline set up during the party’s earlier tenure and claimed a recent Japanese delegation had been briefed about it.
Under the proposed ‘Stree Samman Samriddhi Yojana’, the amount would increase in future years. Elderly women would travel free on buses if accompanied by a child, or their companions would receive half-price tickets, he added. He asserted there would be no compromise on women’s safety under an SP government. He also recalled free ambulance services available during the previous SP rule and criticised the current administration over alleged medical negligence.
If the Samajwadi Party forms the government, it will implement the scheme in a phased manner, Akhilesh Yadav said. Akhilesh Yadav also promised free laptops to female students who clear their Intermediate examinations and said the party would continue its earlier practice of distributing bicycles. Answering a question about the recent student protest at Jantar Mantar , Dimple Yadav said, “I am really thankful to our party president who allowed us to participate in the protests, as many other opposition parties were not ready to join or support the protest.”
