CM Yogi Adityanath: The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has rolled out a fresh set of 24 proposals, and this time the focus is squarely on three groups: senior citizens, young people, and everyday commuters. Announced just ahead of Raksha Bandhan, the decisions are being seen as one of the government’s biggest welfare pushes of the year.
Free Bus Rides for Senior Women
The headline decision is the Lokmata Ahilyabai Matrushakti Yojana, under which women aged 60 and above will now get lifetime free travel on all UPSRTC buses. More than one crore women across the state stand to benefit. The idea is simple: many elderly women skip travel for medical checkups, family functions, or religious trips because of the cost. This scheme removes that barrier entirely, giving them the freedom to move around the state without worrying about bus fare.
Tablets to Power Up UP’s Youth
On the youth front, the cabinet approved purchase orders for 25 lakh tablets under the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana. These tablets will be handed out free of cost to eligible young people, helping them access online classes, competitive exam material, and digital government services. The scheme runs over five years, with a budget of around Rs 2,374.60 crore set aside for 2026-27 alone. Importantly, officials say this won’t add any extra financial burden on the central government.
A Longer Ganga Expressway
Transit infrastructure got a boost too. The cabinet cleared a major expansion of the Ganga Expressway, extending it all the way to Haridwar in neighbouring Uttarakhand. Once complete, this stretch will cut travel time between UP and Uttarakhand significantly, benefiting both commuters and religious tourists heading to the hill state.
What This Means for UP Residents
CM Yogi Adityanath:Put together, these three decisions touch millions of households, grandmothers who can now travel freely, students getting digital tools for free, and commuters who will soon have faster road connectivity. It’s a mix of welfare and infrastructure that the state government is betting will resonate widely, especially with elections and public sentiment always on the radar in India’s most populous state. For now, the message from Lucknow is clear: mobility, for people and for the state’s economy, is the priority.
