Ahead of Legislative Assembly elections, the government is gearing up to launch a major initiative to woo women. One crore “didi” (women) associated with women self-help groups will get credit benefits of Rs 1 lakh from the Uttar Pradesh Women Entrepreneur Credit Scheme. But in the first phase of the scheme, Rs 20,000 will be given as the first installment.
₹80,000 additional credit will be given in two phases on timely repayment of this. The government is gearing up to launch the scheme with much fanfare ahead of the Legislative Assembly elections. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya has instructed to prepare its proposal.
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Last month political circles were abuzz with the news of financial aid of ₹50,000 being provided by the Yogi government to women. The government has not yet issued an official statement. But ahead of the assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Maharashtra, BJP had carried out a similar exercise.
Now UP too is preparing for a similar move. It is also believed that the same strategy is associated with the Entrepreneur Credit Scheme (ECS) for women’s self-help groups working under the Uttar Pradesh Livelihood Mission (UPSRLM).
Women to be issued special credit cards
The scheme was announced by the state government in its budget for the financial year 2026-27. In a high-level meeting of the Rural Development Department at Yojana Bhavan on Wednesday, the Deputy Chief Minister reviewed the preparations of this Uttar Pradesh Women Entrepreneur Credit Scheme. The scheme envisages giving interest free loans to women. Women will be issued special credit cards for this purpose.
This amount women can use to start their small businesses or even expand an existing enterprise. In the second phase, women will be given a loan of ₹30,000 on time repayment of the ₹20,000 given in the first phase. If women repay the second installment as well, they will get a credit benefit of Rs 50,000 in the third phase. The banks have a format ready for this and on the basis of that the department is preparing the proposal.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that the women of the groups should be given ID cards to connect them with identity and facilities. These cards will include digital features such as QR codes.
Women should be associated with digital payments, digital marketing, online sales, financial services and modern enterprise management. He demanded that the purchase of vehicles should be limited to the cost of ₹2 lakh only under the e-rickshaw scheme and 100 Women Shakti Centers should be set up.
The meeting also discussed extending the ‘Community Partnership’ with HCL Foundation till 2031. The function was attended by Minister of State for Rural Development Vijay Lakshmi Gautam, Principal Secretary Rural Development Saurabh Babu, Commissioner Pramod Kumar Upadhyay, Mission Director Arun Kumar and others.