Urging educational institutions to create maximum awareness among the youth regarding the government schemes, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that schemes were not just for ‘votebank’, but were a medium for society to achieve ‘self-reliance’.

“Society must participate equally and move ahead of the government to achieve ‘self-reliance’,” he said.

Participating in the ‘bhoomi pujan’ of a hostel in Mahamana Shikshan Sansthan run by Bhaurao Deoras Sewa Nyas in Lucknow, Yogi Adityanath said, “The public, and particularly the youth, must be aware of what the government is planning for them. A society can progress and achieve self-reliance only when it becomes a participant and moves ahead of the government.”

The chief minister on the occasion urged the educational institutions to ensure that the students were aware of the various Central and state government schemes and initiatives for them to benefit maximum. “There are immense possibilities for startups in the agriculture sector in UP, we have to prepare the youth. Micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) has the largest base in UP, our government’s little encouragement to UP's exports has resulted in an annual export of Rs 1.60 lakh crores taking place today. The fourth phase of the PM Skill Mission is about to start, we have to prepare our youth for this. It is necessary to make all the plans a part of the curriculum so that after getting the degree the youth do not have to wander anymore,” Yogi added.

Highlighting the various efforts of the state government towards bringing gender equality in the state, Yogi said, “Kanya Sumangala Yojana is not only curbing female feticide but a provision of Rs 15,000 as a package from the government level is enabling the daughters to achieve their dreams and fulfill all their essential needs. Schemes like Mission Indradhanush are eliminating gender bias by ensuring that the girl child gets proper healthcare”

He continued: “The Abhyudaya coaching is providing free coaching to the aspiring youths of the state both through physical and virtual means. About 43 candidates qualified in the UP Public Service Commission through the Abhyudaya coaching and got selected. We are also making efforts to make youth technologically advanced through the provision of two crore tablets and smartphones.”

Yogi said that the students aspiring to set up their startups must be made aware of the incentives given by the government and schemes like Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, Chief Minister Yuva Swarojgar Yojana, and the One District One Product (ODOP).