Greater Noida: Once considered unsafe for women, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a model of women’s empowerment. Before 2017, women often hesitated to step outside their homes, let alone pursue entrepreneurship. Over the past eight and a half years, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s leadership, this perception has been completely transformed.
The change was on full display at the UP International Trade Show 2025 at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with women entrepreneurs from self-help groups. For many, sharing their stories with the PM was a dream come true. Their journeys reflect both personal triumphs and the broader revolution across the state, demonstrating that women now feel secure and empowered to pursue their ambitions.
Sangita, a Vidyut Sakhi from Meerut, told the Prime Minister that she now earns a steady income by collecting electricity bills. When asked about challenges, she proudly said, “Now we have no problems. People recognize us with respect.”
Sarla, a Banking Sakhi from Lucknow, explained to the Prime Minister, how she helped people open bank accounts while earning a good livelihood. She recalled that gaining people’s trust was initially challenging, but today her work is widely respected. Sarla proudly informed PM Modi that she has assisted in opening over 2,000 Jan Dhan accounts, 700 Suraksha Bima accounts, 200 Jeevan Jyoti Bima accounts, and 200 Atal Pension Yojana accounts.
Neetu Singh from Varanasi shared her inspiring story as a NaMo Drone Didi. She has mastered drone operations to spray fertilizers on farms, charging Rs 200 per bigha. On some days, she covers up to 25 acres, and in the past 18 months, she has treated more than 1,000 acres of farmland.
Julie Devi from Bijnor, representing 15,000 women associated with the Vidur Peda Committee, spoke about their enterprise, which produces around 150 products, including soap, spices, multigrain flour, and gram flour. She reflected on how, before 2017, it was nearly impossible to imagine women stepping into business due to fear and a fragile law-and-order system. Today, she said, women not only manage their households, but also run businesses with confidence and without fear.
Kaushalya, a dairy entrepreneur from Gorakhpur, also met the Prime Minister and shared how she has built a successful dairy venture that provides her with a stable monthly income.
