Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath made an announcement on August 26 stating that every working youth in Uttar Pradesh will now be ensured a minimum wage. He said that private companies will be bound to provide fair wages to their employees, while the government will ensure that no worker is exploited. The announcement came during the inauguration of the three-day Rozgar Mahakumbh 2025 in Lucknow. CM Yogi stated that the step will ensure respectable jobs, employment security, and complete safeguarding of workers’ rights. He also added that if industries incur any extra cost in applying this rule, the state government will take responsibility for it.
First-of-its-kind initiative in India
Highlighting Uttar Pradesh’s role as a frontrunner, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that the state is the first in India to guarantee minimum wages and fair salaries for all working youth. He said the state’s vast youth population has become its biggest asset, with their skills now sought after both nationally and globally. Recalling the past, he noted that Uttar Pradesh once witnessed large-scale migration as entire villages moved out in search of work, but today, thanks to consistent efforts over the last eight years, those very villages are able to provide jobs within the state itself.
ODOP and MSME success story
The Chief Minister credited flagship programs such as One District One Product (ODOP) for reviving traditional industries and giving them global recognition. He highlighted that nearly 96 lakh MSME units have been revived and strengthened across Uttar Pradesh.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when over 40 lakh migrant workers returned home, nearly 90% found jobs in MSMEs, and most remain employed through the same system. CM Yogi stated that registered MSME units have been given a security insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh. These units are providing work to 2-10 youths each, creating employment for lakhs across the state. He added that this initiative reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Vocal for Local and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
The CM said schemes like Vishwakarma Shram Samman and PM Vishwakarma are aimed at giving dignity to traditional artisans and craftsmen, including carpenters, masons, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, potters, cobblers, and barbers. Through these initiatives, artisans are receiving free toolkits, low-interest credit, and proper training.
He also spoke about the CM Yuva Udyami Yojana, launched on January 24, 2025, which provides interest-free, collateral-free loans to youth aged 21-40 years. So far, more than 70,000 young entrepreneurs have started their ventures under the scheme.
'मुख्यमंत्री युवा उद्यमी विकास योजना' के अंतर्गत 21 से 40 वर्ष की आयु का कोई भी युवा, ब्याज-मुक्त, गारंटी-मुक्त ₹5 लाख का ऋण लेकर स्वयं को युवा उद्यमी के रूप में स्थापित कर सकता है।
अब तक 70 हजार से अधिक युवाओं ने #CM_YUVA स्कीम के साथ जुड़कर स्वयं के उद्यम स्थापित करने की दिशा… pic.twitter.com/k0nSKa5MeH
— CM Office, GoUP (@CMOfficeUP) August 26, 2025
Boost in government jobs and investments
Over the past eight years, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said, more than 8.5 lakh young people have been appointed to government jobs through a fair and transparent process, with major recruitments taking place in sectors such as police, education, health, agriculture, PWD, and higher institutions. He added that the state has rolled out over 33 sector-specific policies and strengthened investor-friendly systems like Invest UP, Nivesh Mitra, and the Single Window Portal. These efforts, he noted, have attracted investments exceeding Rs 15 lakh crore, creating employment opportunities for nearly 60 lakh youth in Uttar Pradesh.
According to Yogi, the Rozgar Mahakumbh not only connects youth with industries but also aligns them with new training and courses as per technological needs. “When workers and farmers are prosperous, only then will the state and nation prosper. With this assurance in place, neither India nor Uttar Pradesh can be stopped from moving towards development,” he stated.
