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Mission 2027 after Bihar boost: Uttar Pradesh govt plans fresh welfare push, key 2022 promises back on table
The schemes under consideration include free travel to women above 60 years in state-run public transport, enhancing pension for senior citizens and expanding Ayushman Bharat coverage
Encouraged by the welfare-driven gains in the recent Bihar assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh is preparing to accelerate the rollout of pending schemes and freebies promised in its 2022 Sankalp Patra. Major announcements are expected in the coming weeks or in the state budget in February next year.
Officials in the departments concerned said discussions on most of these proposals are at an advanced stage, while cabinet notes for some have already been prepared and sent to the government.
“Several electoral commitments remain partially implemented or unaddressed, and the state government is now moving to operationalise them before the 2027 assembly elections,” a senior minister in the Yogi Adityanth government said.
Key schemes under consideration include providing free travel to women above 60 years in state-run public transport, enhancing monthly pensions for senior citizens, widows and persons with disabilities, and expanding beneficiary coverage under Ayushman Bharat and related health protection schemes.
The BJP, in its Sankap Patra, had promised to provide free travel facility to all women above 60 in the state in public transport, or in the UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses.
Despite multiple rounds of discussions, the government has held back on implementing this key promise and is now expected to fulfil it ahead of the polls to maximise political gains.
On the basis of a survey conducted by it between March 13, 2022 and March 20, 2023, the UPSRTC estimated that on average 3,73,800 women passengers (31% of total passengers) travelled in its buses every day and 88,438 of them were above 60 years of age, which was 7% of the total.
The survey also found that the daily revenue generated by selling tickets to 88,438 elderly women passengers stood at more than ₹22.55 crore, the average ticket cost being ₹85 per passenger. Keeping this promise may cost the government around ₹300 crore a year, according to those in the know.
“The proposal to provide free travel to elderly women in UPSRTC buses, as promised in the BJP’s manifesto, has already been sent to the chief minister for the final call,” a senior transport department official said.
The BJP’s Sankalp Patra had also promised to raise the monthly pension for senior citizens, widows and persons with disabilities from ₹500 to ₹1,500. The government increased it to ₹1,000 just weeks before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and ahead of the 2027 assembly polls it is set to add another ₹500, taking the pension to the promised ₹1,500 per month.
Uttar Pradesh has over 65 lakh (6.5 million) old-age pensioners, 38 lakh (3.8 million) widow pension beneficiaries, and around 12 lakh (1.2 million) persons receiving disability pensions. Officials in the social welfare, women welfare and divyang welfare departments said the proposals to raise the pension to ₹1,500 per month were under active consideration.
Similarly, the BJP government is expected to broaden the scope of Ayushman Bharat by extending free treatment benefits of up to ₹5 lakh to all auto and taxi drivers, health sakhis and anganwadi workers, along with expanding the Ma Annapurna Canteen scheme in urban areas.
“The Bihar outcome appears to have nudged the UP government towards accelerating welfare delivery by implementing its pending promises ahead of 2027, reinforcing the impression that targeting beneficiaries of government welfare schemes benefits,” another senior official said, indicating that most of these announcements may be made in the budget or earlier also.
