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No society can be self-reliant by ignoring half its population, says Yogi at FICCI FLO event
Women’s participation in UP workforce went up from 12-15% to 35-36% in over eight years, says Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath at FICCI FLO event in Lucknow.
Laying stress on empowering women to enable India to achieve self-reliance, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said, “When half the population progresses, the nation will certainly advance.”
Addressing the inter-state meet of FICCI FLO (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry Ladies Organisation) in Lucknow, he remarked, “Progress must be inclusive and centered on women’s empowerment. No society can be self-reliant by ignoring half its population.”
Lauding FICCI FLO, he said it is contributing to promoting women’s leadership and urged the organisation to strengthen its grassroots outreach.
“The women’s participation in UP’s workforce has increased significantly under his government. When the BJP came to power in UP (in 2017), women constituted only 12-15% of the workforce which has now risen to 35-36%. The number of women in the UP Police has grown from 10,000 in 2017 to 44,000 following the introduction of a mandatory 20 percent quota for women in police recruitment,” he said.
He also said the first priority of his government has been to ensure safety and security to its citizens, especially women.
Lawlessness and insecurity prevailed in the state before 2017, he said, adding that through strict law enforcement and a zero-tolerance approach to crime, UP now stands as a national model for law and order.
“The improved environment has helped UP attract investment proposals worth ₹45 lakh crore, of which ₹15 lakh crore have already been grounded. Additional proposals of ₹5 lakh crore will soon be implemented, leading to more employment opportunities,” the chief minister said.
Yogi also highlighted India’s rapid economic growth over the past decade and said the nation is set to become the world’s third-largest economy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
He mentioned initiatives such as Mission Shakti, Operation Kayakalp in basic education, and the BC Sakhi programme that has enabled women in every village to provide banking services.
“Many BC Sakhis now earn substantial monthly incomes which is a testament to the scheme’s success in promoting financial independence,” he said.
He said the Pledge Park Scheme has been implemented in which the government provides per-acre subsidies to private parties for setting up enterprises on 10 to 50 acres.
“To date, 12 Pledge Parks have been established in UP. FICCI FLO should take advantage of the MSME scheme and encourage new women entrepreneurs to take advantage of the Private Industrial Park Scheme,” he said.
He also spoke about how a decline in the readymade garments sector in Bangladesh provided an opportunity for India.
“FICCI FLO can help women tap into the readymade market through skill development, design training, and garment manufacturing, potentially connecting millions of women to new livelihood opportunities. It should aim to grow from 16,000 to 16 lakh members by connecting women entrepreneurs, SHGs, FPOs, and start-up founders across the country,” he said.
The event was attended by FICCI FLO national chairperson Poonam Sharma, national senior vice president Pooja Garg and founding chairperson Abha Dalmia among others.
