Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Saturday, said that when the government was sensitive towards the problems of the people, it actively listens to the concerns of poor and weak people.

While addressing the Chief Minister Mass Marriage ceremony of 1,500 couples at Mahant Digvijaynath Park in Gorakhpur, the chief minister said, “The central and state governments, working together, are not only ensuring the benefits of welfare plans without discrimination but also making efforts, with public cooperation, to eliminate the evils of the society”.

The chief minister further said, “This scheme is an example of double-engine government’s effort to attack social evils. The practice of dowry had deprived many poor families of participating in the sacred ritual of marriage. This event is an innovative effort to put an end to the abuse of dowry and eliminate the practice of child marriage.”

He emphasised that society should not allow any evil practices to flourish in the society, which hinders the development of society. He said that the state government had facilitated nearly ‘three lakh marriages’ since 2017 under the Chief Minister Mass Marriage Scheme. He informed that initially, the cost for each couple’s wedding was Rs 31,000, but it was later increased to Rs 51,000 after 2017.

He said that both the central and state governments were committed to women’s empowerment and were taking necessary steps for it. Programmes like ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ and ‘Matru Vandana’ were proving crucial in the direction of ensuring women’s safety.

“In the pursuit of women’s empowerment, the government has passed a new bill in parliament. Under this, on the lines of Gram Panchayat and Civic Bodies, women will also get the benefit of 33 per cent reservation in Parliament and Vidhan Sabha,” he added.

The chief minister mentioned that the efforts towards women’s empowerment had resulted in significant outcomes, with 1.75 crore women in Uttar Pradesh and 9.60 crore women across the country benefiting from the Ujjwala Yojana. Moreover, under this scheme, free gas cylinders were now being distributed on occasions like Holi and Diwali.

He highlighted that providing houses, toilets, and Ayushman cards to the poor was not only lifting them out of poverty but was also part of the women’s empowerment campaign.

“To further strengthen women empowerment, under the Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana in Uttar Pradesh, a package of Rs 15,000 is provided from the birth of the daughter till her education. In the upcoming fiscal year, this amount will be increased to Rs 25,000. Not only will the education of the daughter be free, but this scheme will also provide financial assistance for other expenses related to her well-being,” the chief minister said.

He further described the mass marriage programme as a moment of joy. He mentioned that it was challenging to find time for a single wedding, but today’s event was a significant and auspicious programme where the chief minister, ministers, MPs, MLAs, party officials, and officers had come to welcome and bless the newlyweds.

In this ceremony organised by the Department of Social Welfare, 1,500 couples were united in the sacred bond of marriage. The newlyweds included individuals from both Hindu and Muslim communities.