From the sacred ground of Gorakhpur — the spiritual home of the Gorakhnath Math — Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, honoured the state's volunteer auxiliary force with two concrete commitments: a new welfare scheme and a permanent home.

Addressing a conference of Pradeshiya Rakshak Dal (PRD) volunteers in Gorakhpur, CM Yogi laid the foundation stone for a multi-storey PRD barracks in Lucknow at a cost of ₹23 crore, and simultaneously launched the Mukhyamantri PRD Cashless Chikitsa Yojana — a cashless medical scheme designed specifically for PRD personnel.

Who the PRD Are and Why This Moment Matters

The Pradeshiya Rakshak Dal is Uttar Pradesh's state-level volunteer auxiliary force, deployed to assist police and district administration during law-and-order situations, elections, floods, and other emergencies. Operating largely in the background, PRD volunteers are a low-cost, high-reach extension of the state's security apparatus — present in nearly every district but historically under-resourced.

CM Yogi described the force's volunteers as 'a strong pillar of the state's progress and security,' crediting their 'spirit of service and discipline' for supporting law enforcement under every adverse condition. The Gorakhpur event, held on the tapobhumi (consecrated ground) of Mahayogi Guru Shri Gorakhnath Ji, carried symbolic weight: the Chief Minister was, in effect, conferring institutional recognition on a force that has long operated without the welfare infrastructure available to regular police.

The ₹23 Crore Barracks and What It Signals

The foundation stone for the multi-storey PRD barracks in Lucknow marks a shift from ad-hoc deployment to permanent institutional infrastructure. A dedicated barracks gives the force a fixed base for training, mobilisation, and administration — functions currently managed through scattered arrangements.

The Mukhyamantri PRD Cashless Chikitsa Yojana addresses a more immediate gap. PRD volunteers, who are not regular government employees, have typically had limited access to state-sponsored healthcare. A cashless medical scheme removes the out-of-pocket burden that has historically made injury or illness a financial crisis for these personnel and their families.

Gorakhpur as the Launch Pad

The choice of Gorakhpur — CM Yogi's home district and the seat of the Gorakhnath Math, which he heads as its mahant — was deliberate. Launching a welfare initiative for a security-adjacent volunteer force from this location ties the announcement to the broader law-and-order identity that has defined his administration since 2017. The Chief Minister extended his 'heartfelt greetings and auspicious wishes' to all PRD volunteers, closing the event on a note of institutional appreciation.

Two schemes, one foundation stone, one afternoon in Gorakhpur — and a volunteer force that has spent decades holding the line quietly just got told, in brick and policy, that the state sees them.