Lucknow: According to the Uttar Pradesh Economic Review 2025-26, the Yogi government has consistently increased spending on rural development to realize the vision of a “Viksit Uttar Pradesh.” Expenditure on rural development, which stood at ₹10,508 crore in 2017-18, rose to ₹20,081 crore in 2025-26. Over the past eight years, spending on rural development works has grown at an annual compound growth rate of 8.43%.
Compared to 1,814.34 lakh ‘Manav diwas’ in 2017-18, UP generated 3,363.97 lakh ‘Manav Diwas’ in 2024-25, an increase of 85.41%, has taken the state to the first position in the country. In the financial year 2025-26, more than 1,805 lakh ‘Manav Diwas’ of employment have already been generated up to December 2025.
To boost employment in rural areas, livelihood, environmental conservation and infrastructure works were undertaken at a rapid pace under the VB-G Ram Ji Scheme. Under the scheme, 266 types of community and individual beneficiary-oriented works were implemented.
As an innovative step toward a permanent solution to Bundelkhand’s water crisis, a 1500 meter stretch of the extinct Shahzad River was rejuvenated in the Birdha block of Lalitpur. This generated 9,859 ‘Manav Diwas’ and strengthened groundwater and irrigation resources.
To ensure transparency in works, tools such as the e-MB module, three-tier geo-tagging, online software, Aadhaar-based wage payments, the National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) app, the Area Officer app and drone technology were used.
In 2024-25, employment was provided to 75.83 lakh workers from 65.26 lakh families, while 6.16 lakh families were given the full 100 days of work. In 2025-26, up to October 2025, more than 47 lakh families have been provided employment. After Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh is the second state to provide employment to the highest number of families.
Under the VB-G Ram Ji Scheme, 13.54 crore saplings were planted in 2024-25 and 13.23 crore in 2025-26 as part of the “Ek ped maa ke naam” campaign. By November 2025, more than 19,000 Amrit Sarovars were constructed or rejuvenated, making Uttar Pradesh a national leader. Additionally, up to October 2025 in 2025-26, construction of 3,550 playgrounds and 1,706 anganwadi centers was completed.
Women’s participation under the VB-G Ram Ji Scheme has also increased from 35% in 2018-19 to 42% in 2024-25. Transparency was ensured through social audits, with audits completed in 55,991 gram panchayats in 2024-25 and in 51,648 gram panchayats up to December 2025 in 2025-26.
