CM Yogi Performs Maa Mahagauri Puja on Ashtami, Outlines Major Strides in Women Empowerment

• by Akanksha Mishra
• 2026-10-18 15:09:00

On the auspicious occasion of Maha Ashtami during Sharadiya Navratri, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered ceremonial prayers to Maa Mahagauri, revering the deity as the eternal embodiment of peace, purity, and benevolence. Highlighting the spiritual essence of the festival, the Chief Minister remarked on his official social media handle on Sunday, October 18, 2026, that real civilizational progress is realized only when every mother is healthy and safeguarded, every daughter receives nutrition and opportunities, and every woman leads a life anchored in self-reliance and honor. Outlining the governance strides of the state, he emphasized that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the double-engine administration has transformed women from passive welfare recipients into proactive drivers of economic growth.

Dismantling Ration Cartels: Entrusting Take-Home Nutrition to Women Self-Help Groups

Addressing structural reforms executed since 2017, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath pointed out how welfare supply chains were overhauled to eliminate systemic corruption:

Eradicating Pre-2017 Mafia Networks: The Chief Minister noted that before 2017, the state’s child and maternal nutrition mechanism was paralyzed by middlemen and mafia cartels, resulting in poor-quality supplies reaching village centers.

Decentralized Production and Distribution: The administration broke this monopoly by transferring the entire manufacturing, packaging, and logistical distribution of Take-Home Rations (THR) directly to rural Women Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

Dual Impact on Nutrition and Livelihoods: This structural pivot not only brought total transparency and accountability to supplemental nutrition programs, but also established a recurring, independent revenue model for thousands of village women spearheading the state's battle against malnutrition.

Quadrupling Anganwadi Honorarium: Pay Hiked to ₹12,000 Per Month Alongside Health Coverage

Recognizing the foundational contributions of frontline childcare and health personnel across Uttar Pradesh, the state government rolled out major financial and social security enhancements:

Fourfold Remuneration Increase: The monthly honorarium for Anganwadi workers—who manage early childhood care, pre-primary schooling, and infant nutrition at the grassroots level—has been raised from ₹3,000 to ₹12,000 per month.

Comprehensive Health Insurance: Beyond enhanced take-home stipends, frontline workers have been brought under institutional health insurance coverage, protecting their personal well-being and social security against unforeseen medical expenses.

4 Lakh Women Driving Rural Dairies and BC Sakhis Expanding Financial Inclusion

The rural economy across Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a quiet financial revolution driven by specialized women-led collectives:

Over 400,000 Women in Dairy Cooperatives: By joining dedicated milk-producing companies including Balini, Samarthya, Kashi, Baba Gorakhnath, and Srijani, more than 4 lakh women across 31 districts have turned dairy farming into sustainable commercial enterprises.

Doorstep Banking via BC Sakhis: The deployment of Banking Correspondent (BC) Sakhis across every Gram Panchayat has expanded formal digital banking into remote corners, enabling women to operate financial counters, disburse government benefits, and earn steady transaction commissions.

12 Million Women in SHGs: The Transformative Rise of 'Lakhpati Didis'

The scale of women-led economic participation in Uttar Pradesh has reached unprecedented milestones:

Over 1.2 Crore Women in Self-Help Groups: More than 12 million women across the state are actively organized into self-help groups, managing micro-enterprises, cottage manufacturing units, and local supply chains.

Financial Elevation Through Lakhpati Didi: Through the targeted Lakhpati Didi initiative, women are converting vocational skills and micro-loans into sustainable annual household incomes exceeding ₹1 lakh, ensuring long-term prosperity and educational security for their families.

Vision for a Prosperous Uttar Pradesh: Under the theme of "Empowered Women, Prosperous Uttar Pradesh," the state continues to blend spiritual reverence for Nari Shakti with concrete policy instruments that guarantee security, respect, and economic autonomy.

Previous Post

When brother-in-law got married, sister-in-law got irritated, called him to the farm and then… how did one mistake become a noose around the neck?