The Uttar Pradesh government will launch the fifth phase of its flagship campaign Mission Shakti, focused on women’s safety, respect, and self-reliance, from Sharadiya Navratri. The special month-long campaign will see the expansion of Pink Booths, currently functional only in Lucknow, to all 17 municipal corporation cities of the state.
Reviewing preparations on Wednesday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to strengthen the initiative through inter-departmental coordination and field-level monitoring. He emphasised that the campaign must reach every village, ward, and family to make a real impact.
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The Chief Minister instructed that staff at Pink Booths and Mission Shakti centres be given special training, ensuring 24/7 assistance with facilities like complaint registration, counselling, legal advice, feedback, and follow-up under one roof. Police foot patrols and PRV-112 vehicles will be made more effective, while senior officers, including Zonal ADGs, IGs, and DIGs, have been asked to directly interact with the public to build trust in law enforcement.
Adityanath stressed that the women’s police force, with over 44,000 personnel, plays a vital role in maintaining law and order. During the campaign, women beat police officers will be deployed across all 57,000 gram panchayats and 14,000 urban wards, accompanied by local representatives and grassroots workers to raise awareness among women and girls about safety measures and available support.
Special security arrangements will be made at temples, religious sites, fairs, and other public places during Navratri, with Anti-Romeo squads instructed to step up vigilance. The Chief Minister also directed officials to ensure strict action against harassers while avoiding misuse of the law.
As part of the campaign, dialogues and conferences on women’s safety will be organised in every district. Schools and colleges will hold awareness programmes, including the screening of short films on gender equality. Efforts will also be intensified to provide legal aid to women in jails, while calls received on the women’s helpline 1090 will be dealt with utmost seriousness.