Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched the 'Lokmata Ahilyabai Matrushakti Yatra Yojana', which provides free travel facility in roadways buses to women aged 60 years and above in Uttar Pradesh, in Lucknow on Wednesday. During the program organized at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, the Chief Minister linked the scheme to the respect, convenience and self-reliance of elderly women and said that now age will not become an economic hindrance in their movement.
Under the scheme, eligible women residents of Uttar Pradesh will be able to travel free within the state in Transport Corporation buses. According to government estimates, about 88,438 women passengers can benefit from this every day. To implement the scheme, special smart cards will be issued by the Transport Corporation. This is expected to put an additional financial burden of about Rs 22.55 crore on the government every month.
On the occasion of Rakshabandhan, on 27, 28 and 29 August, all the women of the state will be given the facility of free bus travel along with one co-passenger. After this, the free travel facility will be implemented permanently for eligible women aged 60 years and above.
In the program, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also made a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party. He alleged that before 2017, there was no effective system for the safety, respect and welfare of women in the state. He said that at that time there was an atmosphere of fear regarding women's safety, whereas the present government has strengthened Mission Shakti, 1090, 112, Safe City Network and technology-based security systems.
The Chief Minister also mentioned various schemes including increasing the number of women police personnel, pension and direct benefit transfer. He described schemes like Kanya Sumangala Yojana, mass marriage, Ujjwala Yojana, toilets and tap water as making the lives of women easier.
CM Yogi said that the aim of the government is to create such an Uttar Pradesh where daughters can safely progress in the fields of education, employment and business and women become financially self-reliant.