- Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, led by CM Yogi Adityanath, has approved a major policy for women empowerment
- Property held in the name of a woman has had stamp duty reduced to 1% from the usual rate
- The step is designed to reduce the cost burden on women buyers of property and encourage women property ownership
In a historic decision to give power to women, the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet headed by Yogi Adityanath has sanctioned a massive reduction in stamp duty for properties held in the names of women. According to the new policy, women buyers will now pay a mere 1percent stamp duty, a huge fall from the existing 71percent stamp duty, reducing the economic burden immensely and making property purchase easier for women across the state.
Earlier, women could only get a 11 percent concession on property prices worth up to ₹10 lakh, which limited the maximum benefit to ₹10,000. But now, under the new policy, women can save up to ₹1 lakh in stamp duty on buying properties worth up to ₹1 crore. The advantage will be extended to both rural and urban zones, pushing more women to invest in realty and own property in their names.
The proposal for this change came from the Stamp and Registration Department of Uttar Pradesh and was approved during a Cabinet meeting held at Lok Bhawan in Lucknow. Out of the 38 proposals discussed, 37 were approved, including this significant measure aimed at boosting women's economic participation and ownership rights.
Additional Support Through ‘Bima Sakhi’ Scheme In a complementary move, the state also highlighted the benefits of the Centre’s ‘Bima Sakhi’ scheme, which provides financial incentives for women working as LIC agents. Women participating in this initiative can now earn up to ₹7,000 per month, including a monthly stipend and commission for the first three years. Rolled out in December 2024, the scheme presently covers more than 2.05 lakh women and aims to encourage financial empowerment and increase insurance consciousness in rural areas.
Women aged between 18 and 70 years, with at least a Class 10 education, are eligible for the scheme. Upon completing training, participants begin earning and working as certified LIC agents.
Together, these two initiatives—reduced stamp duty and expanded income opportunities through ‘Bima Sakhi’—represent a strategic push by the Uttar Pradesh government to promote economic empowerment and self-reliance among women.
