LUCKNOW Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday transferred ₹3,350 crore in scholarships and fee reimbursements directly into the bank accounts of 27,99,982 students of deprived and vulnerable sections of society, studying in classes 9-10 and at the post-matriculation level. He also transferred financial assistance amounting to ₹100 crore to 33,334 dependent families under the National Family Benefit Scheme, providing support in instances where the primary earner of a poor household had passed away.
Speaking at a ceremony held at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, the CM extended his best wishes to the scholarship recipients. He launched a scathing attack on Samajwadi Party leaders, asserting that in the guise of socialism, “dynasts” used to usurp the rightful entitlements of the poor. However, he added, those who attempt to plunder the rights of the poor now realise that such actions will inevitably land them in jail.
He warned that the government would confiscate even their ancestral assets and distribute the proceeds among the poor.
Addressing students, the CM emphasised that there can be no substitute for hard work and these scholarships are provided to enable them to work even harder.
He said during the financial year 2025-26, the government provided scholarships worth ₹4,800 crore to 6.7 million children.
The CM remarked that during academic year 2016-17, the SP failed to provide scholarships to SC/ST students, and by that time, they had looted the state to such extent that no funds were left in the treasury accounts. “They had even diverted the funds received from the central government specifically for scholarships to finance SP’s own activities. Consequently, when our government assumed office in 2017, we were compelled to disburse scholarships not only to students of 2017-18 batch, but also to those of the 2016-17 batch,” added Adityanath.
{{/usCountry}}The CM remarked that during academic year 2016-17, the SP failed to provide scholarships to SC/ST students, and by that time, they had looted the state to such extent that no funds were left in the treasury accounts. “They had even diverted the funds received from the central government specifically for scholarships to finance SP’s own activities. Consequently, when our government assumed office in 2017, we were compelled to disburse scholarships not only to students of 2017-18 batch, but also to those of the 2016-17 batch,” added Adityanath.
{{/usCountry}}Adityanath noted that in the past, the scholarship amounts were meager, and to make matters worse, technology was not utilised in the process. Funds used to be routed to the district level, where officials from the social welfare, backward classes and minority welfare departments would act arbitrarily.
Taking a jibe at SP president Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath recalled Yadav’s previous statement questioning why the government was providing pension amount of ₹1,000. During his tenure, persons with disabilities received a mere ₹300 — and even that was not disbursed on time, he added.
“Under the SP regime, half of the allocated funds would fall victim to corruption. Today in UP, 10.6 million destitute women, elderly citizens and persons with disabilities receive an annual pension of ₹12,000, deposited directly into their bank accounts,” added Adityanath.
The CM remarked that the benefits of government schemes are now reaching the poor. “It is heartening to witness the weddings of daughters from impoverished families being solemnised under the Mukhyamantri Samuhik Vivah Yojana (Chief Minister’s Mass Marriage Scheme). Relatives, friends, and even ministers attend these dowry-free weddings. DMs personally distribute invitation cards. Under this scheme, weddings are celebrated with the same grandeur and festivity as any other wedding,” said Adityanath.