LUCKNOW, Nov. 4 -- Setting the stage for a high-stakes welfare battle ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that the BJP government will soon roll out a special financial package aimed at making women economically self-reliant. Alongside the pitch to the state's aadhi abadi (women voters), the CM announced an immediate relief package for three crore farmers hit by unseasonal rains and the launch of subsidised 'Annapoorna' canteens for labourers and farmers across the state. The announcement, possibly modelled along the lines of BJP's pre-poll direct cash transfer schemes in states like Bihar and West Bengal, is expected to force Opposition parties to recalibrate their 2027 campaign strategies. In August, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav had promised Rs.40,000 annually to women under the proposed Stree Samman Samridhi Yojana, if voted to power. Rumours of a counter-package from the ruling dispensation had been gaining ground ever since the BJP suffered a setback in UP during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Adityanath said his government had given dignity and security to women and now it was time to make them financially independent. "I assure women present here that our double-engine government is going to bring an attractive package for their economic self-reliance," he said with an emphasis, while addressing a gathering of women here after distributing free LPG refills worth Rs 1,500 crore to 1.89 crore beneficiaries under the Ujjawala scheme. Under the scheme, beneficiaries (women) receive vouchers for two free LPG refills every year, one each before Holi and Diwali in UP. He said when the state's "aadhi abadi" becomes financially independent, UP would be developed and when UP is developed, the whole country would progress realising PM Modi's dream of a developed India by 2047. Referring to the "success" of Lakhpati Didi and BC Sakhi schemes, Adityanath said now women were working in industries even in night shifts. He claimed an environment of safety and security in the state was giving them an opportunity to advance in every walk of life. He said the honorarium for anganwadi workers, village chowkidars, cooks and PRD jawans had already been increased. "A similar increase in honorarium for other sections is also on the cards," he added. "Our government is poised to bring a special relief package for three crore farmers adversely affected by two back-to-back spells of unseasonal rains in September and October," said Adityanath. Making another important announcement on providing subsidised food with dignity to workers and farmers, the CM said 'annapoorna' canteens would be started at main mandis and labourer hubs (shramik addas). "Farmers visiting state mandis to sell their produce and workers gathering at different places looking for work will be able to get a food thali with dignity by paying a token amount," he announced. Hitting out at the Congress, he said securing an LPG connection was a big challenge prior to 2014. People, he alleged, had to pay a bribe from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 to secure an LPG connection. "The national launch of the Ujjawala scheme by PM Modi from UP's Ballia in 2016 rid women of smoke and curbed bribery for LPG connections," he said. The Congress era, he alleged, was known for scams like coal scam and 2G scam. "The Modi government made an effective attack on bribery and corruption, winning people's trust and that also paved way for the BJP coming to power in UP in 2017," he said. Targeting the Samajwadi Party (SP), Adityanath said prior to 2017, there were riots, curfews and anarchy in the state. People, especially women, feared venturing out of home fearing criminals. "Today, nobody dares touch a woman or extort a trader fearing consequences. And this is the reason why there is festivity all around in markets," he said. He said today everybody was getting benefit of government's welfare schemes without any discrimination and this, he said, was true good governance. Reacting to Adityanath's statement, SP national spokesperson Abbas Haider said: "The Samajwadi Party has already placed a concrete commitment before the people of UP. Party president Akhilesh Yadav ji has announced Rs.40,000 every year for women under the Stree Samman Samriddhi Yojana, with an assurance that this amount will be increased annually." "The difference between the SP and the BJP is the difference between delivering on promises and making announcements. The BJP is talking about a package ahead of elections, but the details, eligibility and actual benefits are yet to be clearly spelt out. Women's empowerment cannot be reduced to election-time announcements or financial inducements," he added. "During the Akhilesh Yadav government, we demonstrated our commitment through initiatives such as free laptops for students and Kanya Vidya Dhan for girls. These were not merely announcements; they were implemented and benefited young people across UP," said Haidar....