# Akhilesh Yadav promises Rs 40,000 yearly to women if SP returns to power 2026-08-26T11:51:38+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has announced a major poll promise ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. He said that if his party returns to power, it will launch the Stree Samman Samriddhi Yojana, providing women with Rs 40,000 per year as financial assistance. Speaking at a press conference, Yadav said the scheme will be part of the SP's election manifesto and aims to economically empower women. He also pledged no compromise on women's safety and recalled the 1090 women's helpline launched during his previous tenure as chief minister. The Uttar Pradesh assembly election is expected in early 2027. The BJP-led NDA is preparing to seek a third consecutive term under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. ## Indian Opinion Analysis This is a direct challenge to the BJP's existing welfare pitch in Uttar Pradesh, where schemes such as Kanya Sumangala Yojana offer smaller, staggered benefits. The SP's promise of a flat Rs 40,000 per woman per year, if fully implemented, would cost the state exchequer an estimated Rs 40,000 crore annually, based on the number of eligible women. The state's current annual budget is roughly Rs 7.5 lakh crore. The Election Commission of India's model code of conduct will apply once elections are announced, limiting new spending. The key test will be whether the SP presents a costing plan in its manifesto. ## Coverage - bazaar.businesstoday.in Straight news report of Akhilesh Yadav's announcement with no editorial slant. This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: 2027 UP election, Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party, Stree Samman Samriddhi Yojana, Uttar Pradesh Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/akhilesh-yadav-promises-rs-40000-yearly-to-women-if-sp-returns-to-power/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/akhilesh-yadav-promises-rs-40000-yearly-to-women-if-sp-returns-to-power/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/