By Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced that 50,000 top-performing female graduates will receive free petrol scooters next month under the state government’s Rani Lakshmibai scheme. The announcement came during a scholarship and fee reimbursement distribution programme at Lok Bhawan, where the chief minister also transferred ₹148.04 crore directly to the bank accounts of 4,60,559 students.
The scooter distribution is part of a promise made in the BJP’s election manifesto. Under the scheme, the top 50,000 female students who graduate in the 2025-26 academic session will be provided petrol-powered scooters free of cost. The initiative is aimed at supporting young women after graduation and improving their mobility as they pursue higher studies, employment or other opportunities.
During Saturday’s programme, Yogi Adityanath also highlighted changes in the state’s scholarship system. He said that before the BJP government came to power, scholarship and fee reimbursement had been stopped in 2016 under the previous government. According to him, the system was subsequently restored and pending amounts were released to eligible students.
The chief minister said the government has also moved away from a system where officials and intermediaries could interfere with scholarship distribution. He said the entire process, from application to payment, is now online and funds are transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) directly into students’ bank accounts.
₹148.04 crore transferred to over 4.60 lakh students
At the Lok Bhawan event, the chief minister transferred ₹148.04 crore in one click to 4,60,559 students and handed certificates to 11 beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries included 2,23,615 students from the Backward Classes, 1,59,959 Scheduled Caste students, 38,084 students from the General Category and 38,901 students from minority communities. The scholarship programme covers students studying in Classes 9 and 10 as well as those pursuing post-matriculation education.
Yogi said the government has set a target of providing scholarships to around 70 lakh students this year. He added that nearly four lakh students who had previously been left out because of technical problems are also being brought into the scheme.
He stressed that financial difficulties should not force students to discontinue their education. The chief minister also advised beneficiaries to use scholarship money for educational needs rather than spending it on items such as gutka or street food. He suggested that students buy books with the money and contribute to book banks.
Government highlights education initiatives
Yogi also used the programme to outline several education-related initiatives implemented by his government. He claimed that the dropout rate in basic education, which he put at around 19-20 per cent before the BJP government, has declined.
He said around 1.60 crore children are being provided financial assistance for uniforms, school bags, books, shoes, socks and sweaters. The government has also expanded educational facilities through Atal Residential Schools, where around 18,000 children of workers and destitute families are studying.
Facilities have also been strengthened at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas across all 746 development blocks, while more than 2,300 schools have received improvements under Project Alankar.
The chief minister said the government is also working toward providing employment to more people, reiterating its target of creating one lakh additional jobs within six months.
Rajbhar’s struggle becomes part of scholarship message
Yogi also referred to the personal journeys of ministers Om Prakash Rajbhar and Asim Arun while explaining the importance of educational opportunities.
Speaking about Rajbhar, the chief minister said he had not received a scholarship on time during his student years and eventually had to leave his studies. According to Yogi, Rajbhar later worked as a three-wheeler and taxi driver before entering public life and eventually becoming a political leader.
In a lighter remark, Yogi said that if Rajbhar had received the scholarship at the right time, he might have completed his education and perhaps chosen a different path instead of entering politics.
He also cited Asim Arun as an example of how access to education can shape a person’s career. Arun became an IPS officer, rose to the rank of ADG and served as Kanpur police commissioner before resigning from government service and entering electoral politics.
Yogi also referred to the struggles of ministers Sanjeev Kumar Gond, Danish Azad and Narendra Kashyap, saying that sustained and honest effort can eventually lead to success.
Meanwhile, Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar said more than 39 lakh students from minority communities had received scholarships over the past nine years. Minister Asim Arun said a campaign was launched to identify and include students who had been excluded because of technical issues.
According to the figures shared at the event, more than 65.95 lakh students have received over ₹4,793 crore in scholarship and fee reimbursement during the current financial year.
