Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, extended greetings on the fourth day of Sharad Navratri — dedicated to the worship of Goddess Kushmanda — and declared that women in Uttar Pradesh have moved beyond being passive recipients of government welfare to become active drivers of the state's rural economy.

What Adityanath Said

In a post on social media platform X, the Chief Minister drew on the symbolism of Goddess Kushmanda — revered as the eternal embodiment of creation, energy, and prosperity — to frame his remarks on women's empowerment. 'Wherever women are empowered and given opportunities, scarcity transforms into hard work, hard work into self-reliance, and self-reliance into prosperity,' he wrote, quoting the devotional message of the day.

'The women of Uttar Pradesh are no longer merely beneficiaries of development; they are becoming architects of the rural economy and shapers of the destiny of a new India,' Adityanath added.

Critique of the Pre-2017 Era

The Chief Minister alleged that before the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, women in the state 'lacked opportunities and resources,' while the then-government, he claimed, 'lacked both the policy framework and the genuine intent to empower them.' He asserted that the state's current 'double-engine' government — aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision at the Centre — is now 'guiding rural women onto a new path of self-reliance.'

Key Schemes Highlighted

Adityanath specifically cited several flagship initiatives driving women's economic participation at the grassroots. 'BC Sakhis' — Banking Correspondents operating in rural villages — are described as a critical link for financial inclusion. 'Lakhpati Didis', the programme targeting rural women entrepreneurs earning over ₹1 lakh annually, have, according to him, become 'the new face of economic self-reliance.' Meanwhile, 'Drone Didis' are reportedly spearheading the integration of modern agricultural technology in villages. The Chief Minister also pointed to Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) as expanding livelihood, entrepreneurship, and agriculture-based employment opportunities for rural women across the state.

PM Modi's Navratri Greetings

Earlier on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to social media platform X to extend Navratri greetings to the nation. 'On the occasion of Navratri, today is the prescribed worship of Devi Mata's fourth form, Maa Kushmanda. May her boundless energy infuse new hope, happiness, prosperity, and good health into the lives of all our countrymen,' the Prime Minister wrote.

Broader Significance

The remarks come as Uttar Pradesh — India's most populous state — continues to position rural women's economic empowerment as a central pillar of its development narrative ahead of the next electoral cycle. This is not the first time Adityanath has invoked the 'Lakhpati Didi' and 'Drone Didi' frameworks publicly; both schemes draw from the Centre's broader women-led rural development push under NRLM (National Rural Livelihoods Mission). Whether on-ground outcomes match the scale of political messaging remains a subject of ongoing scrutiny by independent researchers and opposition parties alike. As Sharad Navratri concludes later this week, the discourse around women's empowerment in Uttar Pradesh is expected to continue shaping both policy communication and electoral optics.