The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Tuesday approved 18 key proposals, including the launch of the Rani Lakshmibai Scooty Scheme for meritorious female graduates and the construction of the 330-km Vindhya Expressway. The Cabinet also announced that the Monsoon Session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature will be held from August 3 to August 6.

The decisions are aimed at promoting women’s education, strengthening infrastructure, and improving regional connectivity across the state. Along with the Vindhya Expressway, the government also approved the Vindhya–Purvanchal Link Expressway, which will integrate Uttar Pradesh’s major expressway network.

Free Scooters for Meritorious Girl Students

Under the Rani Lakshmibai Scooty Scheme, female students who complete their graduation will receive free scooters. The benefit will be available to students from families with an annual income below ₹10 lakh, while only the top 5% performers in every university and college will qualify.

Higher Education Minister Yogendra Upadhyay said the government would provide more than just scooters. The package will include vehicle registration, insurance, helmets, essential accessories, and five litres of petrol, ensuring that students receive complete support.

The scooters will be petrol-powered and procured through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal. The minister also announced that the income limit would not apply to differently-abled students, daughters of martyrs, and girls from destitute families, making the scheme more inclusive.

The initiative is expected to encourage higher education among women while improving their mobility, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions.

Vindhya Expressway to Boost Regional Connectivity

The Cabinet also approved the 330-km Vindhya Expressway, estimated to cost around ₹22,400 crore. The expressway will begin from the terminal point of the Ganga Expressway at Sonwar Tehsil in Prayagraj and pass through Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Chandauli, and Sonbhadra.

Once completed, the project will directly connect Uttar Pradesh with the borders of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, significantly improving interstate trade and logistics.

The expressway will pass through approximately 341 villages, requiring nearly 2,800 hectares of land. Officials said travel time between Prayagraj and Sonbhadra would reduce from the current six-and-a-half hours to around three hours and fifteen minutes.

Vindhya–Purvanchal Link Expressway Approved

The government also sanctioned the 130-km Vindhya–Purvanchal Link Expressway, which will connect the Purvanchal Expressway with the new Vindhya Expressway.

The link road will pass through Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, and Mirzapur, covering around 135 villages and requiring another 2,800 hectares of land.

Once operational, the corridor will integrate the Purvanchal, Vindhya, and Ganga Expressways, creating seamless road connectivity from Delhi to the borders of Bihar and Madhya Pradesh.

Monsoon Session from August 3

The Cabinet also announced that the Monsoon Session of the Uttar Pradesh Legislature will be held from August 3 to August 6, during which the government is expected to introduce and discuss several important legislative and policy matters.

The latest Cabinet decisions reflect the state's dual focus on women’s empowerment through education and large-scale infrastructure development. While the free scooter scheme is expected to improve educational access and mobility for deserving students, the expressway projects aim to strengthen industrial growth, regional connectivity, and economic development across eastern and southern Uttar Pradesh.