Lucknow: Under the leadership of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, the state’s Department of Rural Development has set new benchmarks in strengthening the rural economy. With a focus on empowering the underprivileged, several groundbreaking initiatives have been implemented to provide concrete housing for the poor, alongside essential facilities such as free electricity connections, gas connections, Ayushman cards, and 90-95 days of wages for each beneficiary under the MNREGA scheme.
Moreover, the state has been equipping households with tap water connections, toilets, and other essential amenities, ensuring that the rural population benefits from these schemes.
In a significant move, MNREGA job card holders are being provided with work according to their demand, further ensuring the effective execution of various government schemes through MNREGA convergence. Efforts to enhance the income of women and make them self-reliant have gained remarkable momentum, with many women now becoming financially independent and “lakpati didis” (women earning one lakh rupees or more annually).
As part of the Prime Minister’s Rural Housing Scheme, 36.60 lakh eligible individuals have received concrete houses, while 3.51 lakh beneficiaries have benefited from the Chief Minister’s Rural Housing Scheme.
The Rural Development Department has earned national recognition for its exemplary work in the past years, receiving multiple prestigious awards from the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.
One of the standout achievements in Uttar Pradesh has been the pioneering use of the FDR (Flexible Pavement Design) technology in road construction under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Uttar Pradesh was the first state to implement this technology, and representatives from various states have visited to learn and adopt this model, leading to significant cost savings in road construction projects.
In terms of training, rural development institutions in Uttar Pradesh have conducted 5,069 programs this year, training over 1.37 lakh participants. Additionally, 39,556 BC Sakhi women have facilitated financial transactions amounting to ₹31,103 crore, generating dividends worth ₹84.38 crore. Meanwhile, 11,616 Vidyut Sakhi women have collected over ₹1,329 crore in electricity bills, earning a commission of nearly ₹18 crore. The bill collection by these Vidyut Sakhis has tripled compared to last year, with the average collection rising from ₹25 crore per month to ₹80 crore per month in the current year.
Uttar Pradesh continues to lead the country in various aspects of the MNREGA program. With 25.20 crore man-days created, the state tops the nation in man-day generation. In the financial year 2024-25, over ₹9,684 crore has been spent on MNREGA, marking Uttar Pradesh’s first-place ranking in terms of financial progress. Women’s participation in MNREGA stands at 42%, and this number is steadily increasing. Moreover, the state has completed the construction of 18,810 Amrit Sarovars (water bodies), securing its position at the top nationwide.
Under MNREGA, 100% of workers are being paid through the Aadhaar-based payment system. To enhance transparency and oversight, the Department of Rural Development has utilized drones for the first time to monitor 2,717 MNREGA works. These efforts underline Uttar Pradesh’s commitment to fostering rural development and improving the livelihoods of its residents, ensuring sustainable progress in the rural sector.
