Lucknow, June 13 : The Mukhyamantri Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan (CM-YUVA) is no longer just a government scheme, it is fast emerging as a movement for self-employment across Uttar Pradesh. In line with the vision of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the state government is now proactively identifying educated and skilled youth and empowering them with financial support of up to ₹5 lakh to help them become self-reliant entrepreneurs.

To connect more youth with the benefits of the scheme, a dedicated campaign is being launched across all 75 districts. Special teams of officials will visit universities, engineering colleges, and other higher education institutions to identify students in their final year, as well as those who remain unemployed despite completing their studies. Once identified, eligible youth will be offered interest-free, collateral-free loans of up to ₹5 lakh to help them start their own ventures and become job creators.

According to Sarveshwar Shukla, Joint Commissioner of Industries and nodal officer of the scheme, the primary goal of the Yogi government is to empower every eligible, educated, and progressive-thinking youth by helping them launch their businesses. The vision is to transition youth from "seeking jobs" to "creating jobs." Along with financial support, technical guidance will also be provided to ensure the success of these entrepreneurial initiatives.

To ensure effective implementation, specialized training is being imparted to officials. A two-day capacity-building workshop was recently held at Niryat Bhawan in Lucknow, focusing on improving the rollout of the scheme and enhancing the functionality of the CM Yuva Portal. These trained officials will soon begin visiting campuses to implement the scheme at the grassroots level.

Under this visionary initiative, over 2.5 lakh youth have already applied for loans. Of these, more than 1.10 lakh applications have been forwarded to banks, and loans have been sanctioned to over 53,000 applicants, with 40,000 already receiving funds.

A significant number of women, as well as youth from OBC, SC, and minority communities, have enthusiastically participated in the scheme and are now walking the path of self-reliance.

Young entrepreneurs across the state are utilising these interest-free loans to launch ventures in diverse sectors — from cake manufacturing and digital marketing to interior design, laundry services, solar panel installation, tattoo studios, and mineral water plants.

The CM-YUVA Yojana is not just changing careers; it is transforming mindsets. It marks a new era where Uttar Pradesh’s youth are emerging not just as job seekers but as confident job providers.