UP govt steps up outreach to key voter groups ahead of 2027 Assembly polls

New Delhi: While the BJP’s UP unit continues its efforts to consolidate and retain its social base ahead of the 2027 UP assembly polls, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been reaching out to different sections of voters, including ex-servicemen, former Agniveers, fishermen, small and marginal farmers, fair price shop dealers, lawyers and ‘Panchayat Sahayak’ through a series of government decisions aimed at addressing their concerns and benefitting these groups.

On Wednesday, the UP government announced to fulfil the demands of around 57,000 ‘Panchayat Sahayaks’ across the state. The government not only announced to increase their honorarium from Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000, but also assured them to provide service security and cashless treatment and maternity leave for female ‘Panchayat Sahayaks’.

After holding talks with Yogi, UP’s Panchayati Raj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar told reporters that the honorarium of ‘Panchayat Sahayaks’, which is paid by the State Finance Commission, will be sent to their bank accounts directly through direct benefit transfer after getting cabinet approval.


Regarding their service security, the government announced that a committee would be formed under the chairmanship of the district magistrate to take a decision on their removal from the post. This means that the village head and the panchayat secretary will not be in a position to remove ‘Panchayat Sahayaks’ on their own.

A day before taking the decision in favour of Panchayat Sahayaks, the UP cabinet decided to provide long-term loans to small and marginal farmers at a concessional rate under the Chief Minister’s Farmer Prosperity Scheme. As per the government, such farmers will be provided loans of up to Rs 6 lakh on a long-term basis at an annual interest rate of 6% for their agricultural and rural needs from the Uttar Pradesh Co-operative Village Development Bank Limited.

Aiming to woo around 18 lakh ex-servicemen, the state has decided to transfer, free of cost, land belonging to gram panchayats and local authorities in the state’s 13 district to the Local Military Authority, Central Command, Government of India, for the construction of Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) polyclinics. This will enable ex-servicemen to access better medical facilities closer to their homes.

The government has also decided to give 20% horizontal reservation to former Agniveers returning after serving the nation in direct recruitment to the posts of Jail Warder and Enforcement Constable (transport department). They will also be given a special relaxation of three years in the maximum age limit.

To extend financial benefits to fair price shop dealers (or ration shop dealers), the government has decided to provide an additional state margin of Rs 25 per quintal to ration shop dealers on foodgrain distributed under the National Food Security Act, 2013 and PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.

CM had recently announced that his government would introduce a cashless insurance scheme providing coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh for practising advocates.

Eyeing the votes of fishermen, or the Nishad community, the government has approved the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the state government, the fisheries department and “WorldFish” for the operation of WorldFish UP Fisheries Project Centre in eastern UP.