Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday (August 26, 2026) announced it would implement the Stree Samman Samridhhi Yojna, under which women would receive ₹40,000 every year to help them become economically stronger, if the party forms government after the 2027 Assembly polls.

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow alongside party president Akhilesh Yadav, party Lok Sabha MP from Mainpuri, Dimple Yadav said, “Women’s power will develop not merely by talking about it, but by giving women true representation. Respect and prosperity of every woman included in the PDA as “Aadhi Abadi (women) is our resolve.”

Elaborating on the name of the scheme, Ms. Yadav said the word ‘Stree’ (woman) had been chosen because it represented gender without restricting it to any particular age group.

“While words such as girl, young woman or woman indicate an age bracket, the word ‘Stree’ represents a gender and, therefore, the scheme can apply to women of every age,” she said, adding that economic empowerment of women is important as it help to become self-reliant and contribute financially to their families, thereby increasing their equality within the household.

“The economic strength of a woman itself is her empowerment,” she said.

The Mainpuri MP added that the scheme would be implemented in phases and its functioning and success would be assessed periodically, with necessary improvements made based on the outcome.

Speaking on the announcement, the SP president Akhilesh Yadav described it as a resolution for the complete freedom of half the population. “This is a resolution for the complete freedom of half the population; the work of honouring them by giving them ₹40,000 every year will be done in the Samajwadi government,” said Mr. Yadav.

The SP chief alleged that for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), women’s empowerment has become just a slogan. “Women’s reservation has been passed; why is the Bharatiya Janata Party delaying it? It should be implemented in the next elections,” he said. 

The SP president also announced that over 26,000 schools closed across the state during the merger process will be reopened if the SP is voted to power. “26,000 closed primary schools will be reopened. Someone who is suffering, sad, humiliated- that is PDA. In the future, girls who pass intermediate will be given laptops and given the opportunity to move ahead,” he said. 

Mr. Yadav alleged most injustice is being done to daughters in Uttar Pradesh. “During the fire incident, the Chief Minister of our State was saying in front of the mother that he was not in the mood to listen to speeches, and that Khushi Dubey was humiliated by sending her to jail. Statistics show that the most injustice is being done to daughters in Uttar Pradesh,” said the SP president. 

The SP president added that the future SP government will create a path towards respect and prosperity through digital media, financial assistance, education and training. “Through modern means of upliftment laptops, financial assistance, education and training, which will gradually teach women to stand on their own feet with dignity and confidence,” he said. 

Mr. Yadav further accused the BJP of promoting communalism in education, adding that the fundamental concern related to education, teachers, students and jobs is not in the BJP’s imagination.

“The BJP sees communalism even in education. Education, teachers, students, and the jobs that come with education are not on the BJP’s agenda. We have to unitedly overthrow the corrupt regime; they are fundamentally against logic, reasoning, justice, democratic ideas,” said Mr. Yadav, urging all sections of the society to decisive defeat the BJP.

The party made the announcement on Women’s Equality Day, which is observed annually on August 26 in the United States to commemorate the adoption of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution in 1920, which granted women the constitutional right to vote.