Over 4 Lakh Families Covered Under UP's Zero Poverty Campaign, Figures Expected To Rise By 30%

Last Updated:July 12, 2026, 11:43 IST

The Uttar Pradesh government said 4.25 lakh families have been covered under eligible welfare schemes through its Zero Poverty campaign.

The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday said its ambitious Zero Poverty Uttar Pradesh campaign is progressing rapidly, with more than 4.25 lakh families already covered under all eligible government welfare schemes as it moves towards achieving complete scheme saturation for poor and deprived households across the state.

According to figures presented during a review of the campaign, 4,25,101 families, accounting for 34 per cent of the identified beneficiaries, have been covered under all eligible schemes.

The government said it expects this figure to rise by another 30 per cent after achieving its targets under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), enabling a larger number of economically weaker families to receive permanent housing benefits.

The Zero Poverty campaign is aimed at ensuring that every eligible household receives the benefits of government welfare schemes while simultaneously promoting skill development, employment, housing assistance and partnerships with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) organisations to help families become self-reliant.

Under the first phase of the campaign, eight major welfare schemes have been prioritised for saturation. These include the Ration Card, Nirashrit Mahila Pension, Shramik (BOCW) Card, Ayushman Bharat, Divyang Pension, Vriddhavastha Pension, Kisan Samman Nidhi, and Pradhan Mantri/Mukhyamantri Awas schemes.

The review found that the campaign has achieved 97 per cent coverage under the Ration Card scheme, 98 per cent under the Nirashrit Mahila Pension scheme, 95 per cent under the Shramik Card scheme and 92 per cent under Ayushman Bharat.

However, the government said considerable work remains under the Kisan Samman Nidhi and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, which are expected to significantly improve overall coverage once targets are met.

The second phase of the campaign includes schemes such as Shauchalay Sahayata Yojana, Self Help Groups (SHGs), school enrolment, Har Ghar Nal Se Jal, Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana, Bal Seva Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, and electricity connections.

According to the review, 100 per cent achievement has already been recorded under Shauchalay Sahayata Yojana, Self Help Groups and school enrolment, while implementation under the remaining schemes is continuing across the state.

The government also released district-wise rankings based on scheme saturation. Hathras emerged as the top-performing district with 78 per cent achievement, followed by Ghaziabad, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Badaun, Amroha, Maharajganj, Meerut, Baghpat and Gorakhpur, which completed the list of the state’s top ten performers.

Among the lower-performing districts were Agra, Mau, Prayagraj, Banda, Ballia, Fatehpur, Firozabad, Shravasti, Bahraich, and Unnao, with the latter ranking last in the state.

Alongside welfare scheme saturation, the campaign is also focused on enhancing skill development and employment opportunities for young people.

The government said around 19 lakh youth in the 18-35 years age group have been identified across Uttar Pradesh for skilling and employment initiatives.

Of these, 43,647 youth have already completed training, while 1,258 are currently undergoing training.

Another 1,14,715 youth have been identified for skill development programmes.

The government said 2,691 trained youth have been connected with employment through the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission (UPSDM), while another 888 have secured employment through Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).

It added that thousands of young people are also benefiting through initiatives such as the Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Yojana, Vishwakarma Shram Samman Yojana, Mukhyamantri Yuva Swarozgar Yojana, and the One District One Product (ODOP) programme, which seek to promote entrepreneurship and self-employment alongside regular jobs.

The state government further said the participation of social organisations and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) institutions has been expanded under the Zero Poverty campaign.

Under agreements signed with various organisations, work will be undertaken in areas including livelihood development, skill training, job placements, healthcare services, eye examinations, cataract surgeries, tuberculosis eradication, nutrition kits, school kits and the distribution of assistive devices for persons with disabilities.

According to the government, the objective of the Zero Poverty Uttar Pradesh campaign is to ensure that every eligible family is lifted out of poverty by receiving the full benefits of government welfare schemes while also gaining access to employment opportunities, livelihood support and social assistance that can help make them self-reliant.

About the Author

Vani Mehrotra

Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has more than 10 years of experience in national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.

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