Lucknow: Over the past 9 years, the Yogi Government has taken several major steps towards empowering women in the state. Various schemes have been implemented to make them self-reliant and independent. In this sequence, a significant decision has been taken to connect more and more rural women through the LIC Bima Sakhi Yojana.
The Yogi Government has decided to appoint one LIC Bima Sakhi in each of the 57,000 Gram Panchayats of the state over the next 3 years. For this, they will be provided training along with a stipend and commission on selling insurance policies. This will not only make half of the population self-reliant but will also strengthen the rural economy.
Director of Uttar Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission, Deepa Ranjan, stated that in line with the vision of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the LIC Bima Sakhi Yojana is being implemented to economically empower rural women. For this, a tripartite agreement has been signed between Life Insurance Corporation of India and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihood Mission.
Under this, women associated with Self Help Groups are being trained and appointed as 'Bima Sakhi', who are promoting, selling, and servicing insurance products at the Gram Panchayat level.
She further stated that the Yogi Government has decided to prepare one LIC Bima Sakhi in each of the 57,000 Gram Panchayats in the next 3 years, which will be implemented in a phased manner. The objective of the scheme is not only to connect rural women with employment but also to ensure access to insurance services in every village.
Director Deepa Ranjan informed that for the financial year 2025-26, UPSRLM has set a target of appointing 5,000 Bima Sakhi. So far, 3,397 applications have been received from 65 out of 75 districts of the state. Among them, 672 women have successfully completed the 25-hour pre-recruitment training (IC-38).
Additionally, 469 candidates have passed the IRDAI licensing examination conducted through NSEIT and have been officially appointed as Bima Sakhi. The approximately 70 percent success rate among trained women reflects the effectiveness of this scheme.
The processes of recruitment, training, and examination are ongoing, and efforts are being made to ensure maximum appointments by March 2026. Recruitment drives will also be initiated in the remaining 10 districts to ensure 100 percent coverage across all 75 districts. Monthly recruitment targets will be set at the block level to make the process more systematic and faster.
A state-level committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the Mission Director to monitor the scheme, which is regularly reviewing the progress. Continuous coordination between LIC’s state and district offices and SRLM teams is also being ensured to accelerate the process.
The Yogi Government has set a target of appointing 20,000 new Bima Sakhi in the financial year 2026-27. Over the next 3 years, the plan is to deploy one Bima Sakhi in each of the 57,000 Gram Panchayats of the state. Several strategic steps are being taken to achieve this target.
In the scheme, cadres like BC Sakhi, Bank Sakhi, and FL-CRP are being given priority so that trained and experienced women can be quickly onboarded as Bima Sakhi. This strategy makes the onboarding process faster and more effective. For training, district-level training calendars are being prepared in coordination with LIC’s Agent Training Centres (ATC) and Divisional Training Centres (DTC). Candidates who fail the examination are also being provided with refresher training.
Additionally, there is a plan to establish temporary NSEIT examination centres at the block and district levels so that more women can appear for the exam.
Women selected as Bima Sakhi will receive a monthly stipend of ₹7,000 in the first year, along with commission on insurance policies. In addition, they will receive ₹6,000 per month in the second year and ₹5,000 per month in the third year. This will ensure a steady increase in their income.
Along with this, emphasis is also being laid on providing digital tools, regular mentoring, and timely payments. There is also a plan to honour outstanding performing Bima Sakhi at district and state levels, which will inspire other women and create a competitive environment.
To maintain transparency and effectiveness, the scheme is being integrated with the Management Information System (MIS) of UPSRLM, which will make it easier to monitor the appointment, work, and performance of all Bima Sakhi at the state level.
