Lucknow, September 18: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has set a visionary target to establish Uttar Pradesh as a ‘Viksit UP’ by 2047. The foundation of this vision is high-quality education for rural youth, particularly the OBC community, alongside stronger village cleanliness and infrastructure. The government believes that comprehensive progress in these areas over the next 22 years will help UP emerge as a $6-trillion economy and play a decisive role in India’s development journey.
In line with this, the Pichda Varg Kalyan Department is driving socio-economic upliftment of the OBC community, which constitutes over 52% of the state’s population. Over the last eight years, the department has made remarkable strides in OBC welfare. In 2024–25 alone, 32.22 lakh OBC students received scholarships and fee reimbursements, while a total of 2.07 crore students benefited with Rs 13,535.33 crore during the period—four times higher than the ₹4,197 crore spent by the previous government. This reflects the Yogi government’s strong commitment to OBC empowerment.
The department’s target is to provide scholarships and fee reimbursement worth Rs 80,000 crore to over 7 crore OBC students by 2047, ensuring social equality through education. The step will help rural OBC youth gain access to higher education.
For economically weaker daughters of the OBC community, the Shadi Anudan Yojana has emerged as a transformative initiative. Over the past eight years, Rs 1,221 crore has been spent to support the marriages of 6.1 lakh daughters, compared to just 2.75 lakh beneficiaries with Rs 344 crore under the previous government.
The Yogi government is now considering raising the grant from Rs 20,000 to Rs 60,000, aiming to benefit 24 lakh daughters with Rs 14,400 crore by 2047. This move will not only strengthen the financial condition of OBC families but also promote social upliftment, poverty eradication, and provide daughters with dignity and economic independence.
Under the computer training scheme run by the Pichda Varg Kalyan department, in the last eight years 139,698 OBC youth received CCC and O-Level training, which enabled thousands of youths to gain employment in government and private sectors. This step is important to connect rural OBC youth with modern technology and make them self-reliant. The department’s goal is to train 11 lakh youth and spend Rs 3,850 crore by 2047. This initiative will not only promote job creation but also help the OBC community advance in the digital era.
The maintenance and new construction of OBC hostels is being prioritized until 2047 so that more OBC students can benefit from free accommodation facilities. This step is crucial to eliminate the lack of educational access in rural areas. The new hostel facilities will provide OBC students with opportunities to study in a better environment, which is an integral part of the ‘Viksit UP’ vision. The department aims to establish modern hostels for OBC students in every district so that education does not remain out of reach.
Strengthening rural education, sanitation, and infrastructure will make the empowerment of the OBC community possible. In the last eight years, the department’s progress in education, marriage, and employment has been a milestone for OBC welfare. Schemes like scholarships, marriage grants, and technical training have given new direction to OBC youth and daughters. By 2047, these efforts will make the OBC community prosperous and establish UP as a leading state in national development.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Backward Class Welfare & Divyang Empowerment, Narendra Kashyap, said that development is incomplete without the participation of the OBC community in rural areas. These initiatives of the Pichda Varg Kalyan department are not only providing opportunities to OBC youth but also strengthening the rural economy. The goal of a 6-trillion-dollar economy will be realized only when the OBC community receives equal opportunities in education, employment, and social security. This vision of the department is moving forward to bring the OBC community into the mainstream and make UP self-reliant and prosperous.
