Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday warned those who compromise the safety of women and girls that they would have only “jail or jahannum (hell)” as their destination, as he launched a scheme — ‘Lokmata Ahilyabai Matrushakti Yatra’ — offering lifelong free travel in state-run buses to women aged 60 years and above.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath takes a selfie during the launch of the ‘Lokmata Ahilyabai Matrushakti Yatra’ scheme, in Lucknow on Wednesday. (PTI PHOTO)

“The initiative is aimed at giving elderly women greater mobility, dignity and independence rather than merely providing free transport,” he said at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan here.

The government estimates that around 88,438 women will benefit from the scheme every day.

He said women should not have to depend on family members to travel for medical treatment, meet relatives, visit religious places or attend to essential work. Eligible women will be provided special smart cards to facilitate identification and hassle-free travel. The chief minister also flagged off special buses, interacted with elderly beneficiaries and distributed smart travel cards and gifts to some of them. He later stepped into one of the buses, interacted with women passengers and took selfies with them before getting off amid greetings. As a special Raksha Bandhan measure, all women regardless of age will be allowed free travel with one companion on UPSRTC and city buses from August 27 to 29.

Calling Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar a symbol of courage, self-respect, service and women’s empowerment, Yogi said the initiative was a tribute to her legacy.

He said women in UP were moving “from the chulha to cheques, from cheques to businesses and from businesses to technology”.

He said the government’s broader objective was to ensure women’s security, dignity, self-reliance and leadership.

Citing government figures, he said women’s workforce participation in Uttar Pradesh had risen from 12% before 2017 to 36% now, with the government aiming to take it to 50%.

He highlighted Mission Shakti Kendras, AI-based Safe City systems, Pink booths, One Stop Centres and the integrated 1090 and 112 response mechanism as measures strengthening women’s security.

“Earlier, a daughter’s security depended on fate but today it depends on the system, data and technology,” he said, adding that women should be able to leave home, work or do business and return safely at night.

He also highlighted the rise in women police personnel in the state, saying their number had increased from around 10,000 in 2017 to 45,000.

He said 20% women’s representation had been made mandatory in police recruitment and the ongoing recruitment of 32,000 personnel would take the number of women in the police force to around 50,000.

Taking a swipe at previous governments, Yogi said that before 2017 “the dark shadow of commission-taking” loomed over government schemes, with middlemen interfering in pensions and scholarships. He also alleged that insecurity, riots and curfews had affected women’s lives.

“Before 2017, daughters were afraid not only to catch a bus, but even to dream,” he said, claiming that the BJP government had transformed an atmosphere of “disturbances” into one of celebration and development.

The chief minister also cited schemes, including the Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana, mass marriage assistance, housing, Ujjwala, Jal Jeevan Mission and direct benefit transfers, as measures aimed at improving women’s dignity and economic security.

“There are approximately 12.5 crore women in Uttar Pradesh,” he said, asserting that the government’s effort was to create an ecosystem supporting a girl from birth and education to security, employment, income and the fulfilment of her aspirations.

Transport minister Dayashankar Singh, Lucknow mayor Sushma Kharkwal, Rajya Sabha MP Brijlal and several legislators and members of the state Legislative Council attended the event.

50,000 women undergraduate studentsto get free scooters in Oct-Nov: Yogi

After launching the scheme providing free lifelong travel to women above 60 years of age in UPSRTC buses, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday announced that his government would distribute free scooters to meritorious female students, paving the way for fulfilment of one more 2022 poll promise made to women by the BJP.

He said, “50,000 female undergraduate students will receive scooters in October-November.”

Free scooter distribution was among key promises made by the BJP in its 2022 assembly election manifesto. Now, it has planned the scheme’s launch closer to the 2027 assembly polls. Emphasising that women were at the centre of all the government’s schemes, he said women’s self-reliance and safety are directly linked to economic growth. Indicating that much more may be in store for women, he said these schemes were not the end but just the beginning.

‘Now, we can go to Ayodhya, Kashi whenever we want’

Several elderly women, who interacted with chief minister Yogi Adityanath during the launch of the Lokmata Ahilyabai Matrushakti Yatra Yojana on Wednesday, said, “Now, we will not have to depend on anyone for travel.”

Ganesh Devi of Gosainganj said she could now travel without worrying about fares, while Rajrani said, “Chief minister Yogi Adityanath has given a big gift to mothers.”

Mithana Devi of Nizampur said the scheme would end their dependence on family members for travel.

Several women said they were particularly happy that they could now visit religious places such as Ayodhya and Kashi without worrying about the cost.

The scheme provides women aged 60 years and above free travel on Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses anywhere in the state. Aadhaar or voter ID can be shown to avail the facility.

As a special Raksha Bandhan initiative, all women will also be allowed free travel with one co-passenger from August 27 to 29.

Young women at the event also welcomed the initiative.

Anjali Srivastava, a BSc student, said she would use the facility to visit her brother on Raksha Bandhan, while Aastha Rajput said she planned to travel with her mother. The gathering also erupted into “Har Har Mahadev” chants on seeing the chief minister.

He said, “50,000 female undergraduate students will receive scooters in October-November.”

Free scooter distribution was among key promises made by the BJP in its 2022 assembly election manifesto. Now, it has planned the scheme’s launch closer to the 2027 assembly polls.

Emphasising that women were at the centre of all the government’s schemes, he said women’s self-reliance and safety are directly linked to economic growth.

Indicating that much more may be in store for women, he said these schemes were not the end but just the beginning.