UP Elections 2027: Akhilesh Yadav promises Rs 40,000 annual cash support for women if SP returns to power

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday promised to provide women Rs 40,000 every year if his party returns to power in Uttar Pradesh. During a press conference, the former chief minister put the proposed Stree Samman Samriddhi Yojana at the centre of its campaign ahead of the 2027 state elections.

Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to vote in the first half of 2027.

Yadav said the scheme would be included in the party's election manifesto, and linked it to women's empowerment and freedom. "Today, I assure you that the Stree Samman Samriddhi Yojana will be implemented. It is a commitment towards complete empowerment and freedom for half of the population," he said.

"By providing them ₹40,000 every year, the Samajwadi Party government will work towards helping women move forward and achieve progress," he added.

Yadav, who served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2012 to 2017, also promised that there would be "no compromise" on women's safety under an SP government.

The SP leader also highlighted the record of the earlier Samajwadi Party government in areas including education, health, and security. He referred to the state's 1090 women's helpline while discussing a recent visit by a Japanese delegation.

"Recently, when a Japanese delegation came, the same 1090 is being used, and the government is showing what they are doing for women," Yadav said.

The announcement comes months before the Uttar Pradesh election, where the SP will seek to return to power. The SP will be in a direct fight with the BJP-led NDA, which would be looking for a third term under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.