Akhilesh Yadav promises Rs 18,000 annual pension to underprivileged women and BPL families if voted to power in UP

Samajwadi Party Chief and MP from Azamgarh, Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said when his party will come to power, Samajwadi Pension Scheme will be started and each beneficiaries will get Rs 18,000 financial assistant.

While addressing a press conference at the party office in Lucknow, Yadav said "Samajwadi Pension Scheme will be started when SP come to power. Financial assistance of Rs 18,000 each will be given annually to underprivileged women and families below the poverty line (BPL) under this scheme."

SP Party chief said, "Earlier under this scheme, the financial assistance was given to Rs 6000 and there wasn't a single family in Bundelkhand who wouldn't have been benefited."

Earlier in the day, Yadav said he will contest elections after taking permission from the people of Azamgarh. "I will contest elections after taking permission from the Azamgarh people," he said.

Elections for the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10, the Election Commission said.
The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats.