Zero Poverty Uttar Pradesh Campaign – Uttar Pradesh was launched on October 2, 2024, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti, by the Government of Uttar Pradesh under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
This initiative aims to eradicate extreme poverty in the state by October 2, 2025, positioning Uttar Pradesh as India’s first “zero poverty state.” The campaign represents a monumental effort to uplift the most marginalized families, ensuring access to essential services, sustainable income, and government welfare schemes.
This blog delves into the campaign’s objectives, methodology, progress, challenges, and potential impact, providing a comprehensive overview of this transformative initiative.
Background: Poverty in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state with over 200 million people, has historically grappled with high poverty rates. According to the NITI Aayog’s Multidimensional Poverty Index (2023), Uttar Pradesh ranked 25th out of 28 states, with 17.4% of its population classified as multidimensionally poor in 2022-23, down from 37.68% in 2015-16.
Between 2018 and 2023, 3.44 crore people in the state escaped multidimensional poverty, the highest in India. Despite this progress, significant disparities persist, particularly between western and eastern regions.
For instance, Gautam Buddha Nagar contributes 8.91% to the state’s GDP, while the bottom 65 districts combined contribute less than 4%. Eastern districts like Chandauli and Bahraich rank among the poorest, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
The Zero Poverty Campaign builds on this progress, aiming to eliminate extreme poverty by focusing on the most vulnerable households. It aligns with national goals of inclusive development and leverages Uttar Pradesh’s economic turnaround since 2017, marked by a drop in unemployment from 19% to under 3% and a rise in per capita income from ₹46,000 (2017) to ₹1.24 lakh (2023).
Objectives of the Zero Poverty Cam
The Zero Poverty Campaign, inspired by the legacy of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, is dedicated to eradicating poverty among the most disadvantaged communities, including Dalits and other marginalized groups.
Its first core objective is to provide essential services, ensuring that every individual has access to basic necessities such as food, clothing, and adequate housing.
Beyond these fundamentals, the campaign emphasizes quality education and comprehensive healthcare, recognizing that these are critical pillars for breaking the cycle of poverty and empowering individuals to build better futures.
The second objective focuses on fostering sustainable income through tailored economic plans designed to create stable livelihoods. Rather than offering temporary relief, the campaign seeks to equip individuals and families with the tools, skills, and opportunities needed for long-term financial independence.
By addressing the unique economic challenges faced by marginalized communities, the initiative aims to create pathways to self-reliance, enabling families to thrive in a competitive economic landscape.
Finally, the campaign is committed to social inclusion, working to integrate marginalized families into mainstream society. This objective addresses systemic barriers that exclude certain groups from full participation in social, cultural, and economic life.
By promoting equality and dismantling discriminatory practices, the Zero Poverty Campaign strives to build a society where everyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to contribute and benefit, honoring Dr. Ambedkar’s vision of justice and equity for all.
Methodology: A Technology-Driven, Transparent Approach
The Zero Poverty Campaign employs a three-tier, technology-driven methodology to ensure accurate identification, verification, and support for beneficiaries. This approach combines grassroots involvement with digital tools to enhance transparency and efficiency.
1. Identification (Level 1)
Village-level employees, including Panchayat Assistants, Rozgar Sevaks, Banking Correspondent (BC) Sakhis, and Self-Help Group (SHG) members, conduct field surveys using the Mop-up mobile app. Families are identified based on four key criteria:
- Homeless or living in kutcha (mud) houses.
- Landless and reliant on agriculture.
- Dependent on daily wages or irregular income.
- Lacking financial resources.
Enumerators upload detailed records, including Aadhaar numbers, bank account details, and photographs of beneficiaries with their homes, to the Zero Poverty Portal (zero-poverty.in). This ensures accountability and prevents errors.
2. Verification (Level 2)
A five-member village-level committee, comprising the gram pradhan, former pradhan, local school headmaster, and heads of two SHGs (or ASHA workers/Anganwadi Sevika if SHGs are absent), verifies the identified families. At least three out of five members must approve each selection. The committee conducts on-site assessments and submits feedback via the Mop-up app, ensuring community involvement and transparency.
3. Automated Rating and Finalization (Level 3)
Verified families receive an automated vulnerability rating through a digital system, accessible via the Mop-up app and Zero Poverty Portal. The Performance Support Unit, established at the Chief Secretary’s level, scrutinizes records for discrepancies, conducting on-site investigations if needed.
Approved families are enrolled in welfare schemes, with records displayed at gram panchayat secretariats and online for public scrutiny.
Digital Infrastructure
The campaign leverages a robust digital ecosystem:
- Zero Poverty Portal: A centralized platform (zero-poverty.in ) with subdomains for departments like rural development (rd.zero-poverty.in ) and basic education (basic-education.zero-poverty.in ).
- Mop-up App: Used for surveys, verification, and monitoring, with features like voice messaging for remote feedback.
- Rishta App: Monitors BC Sakhi activities and DBT payments under the State Rural Livelihood Mission.
- API Integration: Links the Zero Poverty Portal with the Family ID Portal to streamline ration card and family ID allocation.
This technology-driven approach aims to complete the identification process within 30 days per gram panchayat, ensuring rapid implementation.
How Citizens Can Engage
Residents, NGOs, and private sector stakeholders can contribute by:
- Enroll in vocational training programs via government portals
- Supporting or initiating community-based self-help groups
- Raising awareness about government schemes in local communities
- Collaborating with local administrative bodies and development partners
- Registering on official government portals to access scheme benefits
- Apply for schemes via the UP government portal
Welfare Schemes and Support Mechanisms
The campaign integrates multiple government schemes to provide comprehensive support to identified families. Key schemes include:
| Scheme | Description | Benefit |
| Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) | Provides pucca (permanent) housing to homeless families or those in kutcha houses. | Housing support for stable living conditions. |
| Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana | State-specific housing scheme for those ineligible for PMAY. | Additional housing support. |
| Ayushman Bharat Yojana | Offers health insurance coverage up to ₹5 lakh per family. | Access to medical facilities. |
| Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi | Provides ₹6,000 annually to small farmers. | Financial support for agricultural households. |
| Antyodaya Ration Card | Ensures subsidized food grains for the poorest households. | Food security. |
| MNREGA | Guarantees 100 days of wage employment per year. | Stable income for daily wage earners. |
| Yuva Udyami Yojana | Offers interest-free loans to youth from marginalized communities. | Entrepreneurship opportunities. |
Additional support includes pensions, skill development programs, and CSR-funded initiatives. For instance, BC Sakhis receive ₹4,000 monthly for six months to stabilize their banking service businesses, enhancing financial inclusion in rural areas.
Progress and Milestones
Since its launch, the campaign has made significant strides:
- Survey Completion: Between December 19, 2024, and January 15, 2025, surveys were completed in 650 out of 1,037 targeted villages, identifying an average of 25 families per village.
- Family Identification: By December 2024, 42,000 families across 20,000 gram panchayats were identified, with 90,000 more in the verification process. By January 2025, 10.46 lakh families lacking permanent housing were identified, of which 9.73 lakh were validated.
- First Beneficiary: On November 2, 2024, Ruby’s family from Salauli village, Lucknow, was named the first beneficiary. The family, comprising Ruby, her laborer husband Ram Sagar, and their two children, received immediate support.
- Budget Allocation: In February 2025, the state allocated ₹250 crore (US$29 million) to the campaign, ensuring resources for food, clothing, education, healthcare, and housing.
- Official Launch: The campaign’s benefits distribution began in late April 2025, with CM Yogi Adityanath distributing aid to 25,000-30,000 families under schemes like PMAY, Ayushman Bharat, and Yuva Udyami Yojana.
Regional Focus: Addressing Disparities
The campaign prioritizes eastern Uttar Pradesh, where poverty is most acute. The table below highlights the economic disparity between western and eastern districts:
| Region | Top Districts (GDP per Capita) | Bottom Districts (GDP per Capita) |
| Western UP | Gautam Buddha Nagar, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Agra, Hapur | – |
| Eastern UP | – | Chandauli, Siddharthnagar, Bahraich, Balrampur, Jaunpur |
By focusing on gram panchayats in eastern districts, the campaign aims to bridge this gap, ensuring equitable development.
Challenges and Criticisms
The Zero Poverty Campaign, despite its noble vision of uplifting marginalized communities, grapples with significant challenges that test its feasibility.
The ambitious goal of identifying and supporting 15 lakh families within a single year demands impeccable coordination across government departments and districts, a task complicated by the sheer scale of the initiative.
Additionally, the campaign’s reliance on digital tools for identification and verification introduces risks of data inaccuracies, potentially excluding eligible families or including ineligible ones.
In remote areas, limited internet connectivity and low digital literacy further hinder effective implementation, raising concerns about equitable access to the campaign’s benefits.
Sustainability and regional disparities pose further hurdles. While direct benefit transfers (DBT) and housing schemes offer immediate relief, ensuring long-term livelihoods for landless or unskilled families remains a complex challenge, requiring robust economic strategies beyond short-term aid.
Eastern Uttar Pradesh, with its deeply entrenched poverty and inadequate infrastructure, presents unique difficulties compared to the relatively developed western region.
Critics highlight that these disparities, coupled with the campaign’s reliance on a ₹250 crore budget, may strain resources, potentially necessitating additional funding from corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives or other sources to meet its goals.
Critics also question the campaign’s one-year timeline, arguing that systemic issues like unemployment and limited access to quality education demand sustained, long-term interventions rather than rapid solutions.
The compressed timeframe risks prioritizing speed over thoroughness, potentially undermining the campaign’s impact. However, the government counters these concerns by emphasizing transparency, community involvement, and a technology-driven approach to enhance efficiency and accountability.
By addressing these criticisms through proactive measures, the Zero Poverty Campaign aims to navigate its challenges while staying true to its mission of transformative change for Dalits and other marginalized groups.
Impact and Future Prospects
The Zero Poverty Campaign can potentially transform Uttar Pradesh’s socio-economic landscape. By targeting the most vulnerable households, it addresses the root causes of poverty, such as lack of housing, healthcare, and income stability. The campaign’s success could serve as a model for other states, demonstrating the power of technology-driven, participatory governance.
Economic Impact
- Income Growth: Achieving ₹1.25 lakh annual income per family could significantly boost rural economies, increasing consumption and local business activity.
- Employment: MNREGA and skill development programs will create jobs, reducing dependency on daily wages.
- Financial Inclusion: BC Sakhis and DBT ensure banking access, fostering savings and investment.
Social Impact
- Education and Health: Access to schools and Ayushman Bharat will improve human development indicators.
- Empowerment: Yuva Udyami Yojana and SHG involvement empower youth and women, promoting gender and social equity.
- Community Cohesion: Village-level committees foster local ownership, strengthening social bonds.
Long-Term Vision
CM Yogi Adityanath has set a three-year goal (by 2028) to make Uttar Pradesh completely poverty-free, using the Multidimensional Poverty Index as a benchmark.
The campaign’s integration with national schemes like PMAY and Ayushman Bharat aligns with India’s broader development goals. By 2029, the state aims to achieve a $1 trillion nominal GDP, with poverty eradication as a cornerstone.
Case Study: Ruby’s Family
Ruby’s family, the campaign’s first beneficiary, exemplifies its impact. Living in a kutcha house in Salauli village, Lucknow, Ruby and her husband Ram Sagar struggled to support their two young children.
After being identified on November 2, 2024, they received a ration card, Ayushman Bharat coverage, and enrollment in PMAY. The family is now eligible for skill development programs to ensure a stable income. This case underscores the campaign’s focus on immediate relief and long-term empowerment.
Collaboration and Community Involvement
The campaign encourages partnerships with private sectors, CSR initiatives, financial institutions, and civil society organizations. UNICEF’s pilot project with the Department of Rural Development, initiated in 2021, laid the groundwork for digital DBT systems, demonstrating the value of collaboration.
Students from reputable institutions are also engaged to design livelihood projects tailored to local conditions, ensuring sustainable outcomes.
Key Learnings
The Zero Poverty Uttar Pradesh Campaign is a bold and innovative effort to eradicate extreme poverty in India’s most populous state. By combining technology, community involvement, and comprehensive welfare schemes, it addresses the multifaceted nature of poverty.
While challenges remain, the campaign’s progress evidenced by the identification of 42,000 families and a ₹250 crore budget, signals strong commitment. Named after Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, embodies the spirit of inclusive development, aiming “‘Inclusion so that no one is left behind.”
If successful, Uttar Pradesh could set a global benchmark for poverty alleviation, proving that with vision and execution, even the most entrenched challenges can be overcome.
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