Lucknow, Aug 26: Ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday made several major election announcements focusing on women, including an annual financial assistance of Rs 40,000 to every woman under the ‘Stri Samman Samriddhi Yojana’.

SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav said that this amount would be further increased if they came to power in Uttar Pradesh.

He also promised laptops for girls who passed the 12th grade, transportation facilities for girl students, reopening 26,000 closed primary schools, and ensuring women’s safety.

Mainpuri MP Dimple Yadav, referring to the “A” in the party’s PDA as “half the population”, said that respecting women and empowering them economically is the party’s priority.

PDA stands for Pichhda (backward classes), Dalit, and Alpsankhyak (minorities), a core social coalition strategy coined by Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav.

She appealed to women not to be “bound by old customs and social restrictions”.

During the event, Akhilesh Yadav said that the progress of the country and the state is impossible without the participation of half the population.

He asserted that the Samajwadi Party will work for the respect, security, and economic self-reliance of women.

Taking a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the SP Chief said, “Even those who do not understand technology are now talking about distributing tablets… For the BJP, women have become merely a political slogan.”

Referring to the ‘1090’ women’s helpline and the ‘102’ ambulance service launched during the Samajwadi Party government, Akhilesh Yadav said that the party had done “concrete work” in women’s safety and healthcare.

He raised the issue of women’s reservation, questioning the delay in implementing the Women’s Reservation Act, which had already been passed.

He demanded that women’s reservation be implemented in the upcoming elections.

The SP President also announced transportation facilities for women and female students, and said, “Women should become independent and empowered. Women’s mobility will be improved. Facilities like free metro travel will be available to female students through a card… The Samajwadi Party works to unite people with a progressive mindset, and PDA is its unifying slogan.”

Akhilesh Yadav also took a jibe at the Uttar Pradesh government’s ‘Lokmata Ahilyabai Matrishakti Yatra Yojana’ announced for elderly women.

“We have to keep our offices fully shielded. Our plans are reaching there (the government). I don’t understand why we plan something, and then the information gets leaked. This is the result of making bus travel free for elderly women,” he said.

He added that the Samajwadi Party is a party with progressive ideas and adapts to the times and circumstances.

The SP Chief said that if his government is formed in Uttar Pradesh, the 26,000 previously closed primary schools will be reopened and the conditions of Anganwadi centres will be improved.

He also announced the resumption of the bicycle scheme, saying that bicycles will be provided to students as before under the Samajwadi government.

Regarding women’s facilities, Akhilesh Yadav talked about the construction of better public toilets.

He said that public toilets should be given the respectful name “Izzatghar”.

“The Samajwadi Party would work to alleviate women’s insecurity and provide complete freedom to half the population,” he added.

New Delhi, Aug 26: The controversy surrounding Bollywood actor Kriti Sanon’s outfit in a Raksha Bandhan advertisement intensified on Wednesday, with Opposition and ruling party leaders getting into sharp exchange after the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi came out in support of the former and supported her in deciding her clothing choices.

Gandhi shared Sanon’s response to the controversy on his Instagram Story and wrote: “What a woman wears, what she does and where she goes – is her choice.” He also urged people to “Stop trolling women for exercising their freedom”, adding the hashtag “smash the patriarchy”.

Reacting to Gandhi’s intervention, Shiv Sena spokesperson Shaina NC told media that the Congress leader has made it a habit to interfere in every issue.

“It has become Rahul Gandhi’s habit to interfere in everything and everywhere. Regarding students too, he projects himself as if he is a messiah. When an issue concerning women comes up, about women’s respect or women’s attire, he jumps into that as well,” she said.

“Perhaps this culture is acceptable to him, where one can wear a bikini and celebrate Raksha Bandhan. But in our Indian culture and civilisation, this will never be accepted,” Shaina NC added.

Haryana Minister Anil Vij also weighed in on the issue, saying that while individuals had freedom, religious traditions and sentiments should also be respected.

“It is freedom. But we also respect our religion and traditions. Rakhi is a sacred festival. It is a festival of love between brothers and sisters. What should be worn at that time, all the sisters of our country know,” he said.

JD(U) National General Secretary Shyam Rajak, however, struck a more balanced note, saying people should not judge or make allegations against an individual solely on the basis of their clothing.

“Regarding clothing, yes, it is part of Indian culture to present oneself in a manner that is pleasing to others. However, you cannot cast aspersions on an individual simply because of the kind of clothes they choose to wear,” Rajak told media.

Congress leaders defended Sanon and criticised BJP MP Kangana Ranaut over her remarks.

Congress leader Udit Raj said Ranaut should look at her own old photographs before commenting on others.

“Kangana Ranaut should look back at her own old pictures. After that, if she has even an ounce of sense, decency or honesty left, she should apologise to Kriti Sanon and to everyone,” he said.

Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput said Sanon had done nothing wrong and that Gandhi had consistently supported women’s rights and equality.

“What a woman wears or chooses to drape is her personal matter, a strictly personal matter. Foolish and frivolous people like Kangana Ranaut create discord in society by making such remarks,” he said.

Congress MP Pawan Khera added that Gandhi’s politics had always focused on ensuring justice and preventing discrimination.

The controversy erupted after Sanon faced criticism for wearing an Indo-Western outfit featuring a bralette and skirt in the Raksha Bandhan advertisement. The video showed the actor tying a Rakhi to her brother and her pet dog, triggering a wider debate on social media over women’s clothing, individual freedom and the portrayal of Indian traditions.

Meanwhile, jewellery brand GIVA removed the advertisement featuring Sanon, a day after the actor hit back at critics who questioned her choice of attire in the commercial.

New Delhi, Aug 26: India is not facing a sugar shortage as adequate stocks are available to meet domestic demand until the new crushing season begins in October, the government said on Wednesday.

It clarified that the share of sugar diverted for ethanol production has declined from around 12 per cent in 2022-23 to around 9 per cent in 2025-26. Moreover, nearly three-fourths of the ethanol produced in the country now comes from grains, particularly maize, it said, refuting claims that the diversion of sugar for producing ethanol was leading to the price rise of the sweetener.

Simultaneously, retail sugar prices for consumers have also remained broadly stable, increasing by only around 3 per cent annually between August 2024 and July 2026, according to the government factsheet.

Sugar prices have increased in recent weeks, from Rs 48.18 per kg on July 20 to Rs 55.70 per kg on August 20. This reflects an increase of around 15.6 per cent within one month. This suggests the current uptick largely reflects short-term supply and market factors, rather than a shift in the underlying price trend, the factsheet states.

The present increase in sugar prices is due to a combination of factors, including lower-than-expected domestic production, increased demand ahead of the festive season, and weather-related damage to the sugarcane crop. Besides, tightening global sugar supplies and rising prices, as well as speculation and hoarding by some sections of the industry, are other factors behind the price rise, the statement said.

Sugar production during the current season is expected to be around 306 LMT, compared to the initial estimate of around 343 LMT. Production has been affected by two factors: Red Rot and Top Borer disease, and waterlogging caused by excess rainfall. However, despite the lower-than-estimated production, adequate sugar stocks are available in the country to meet domestic demand. The new crushing season will begin in October.

The tightening of sugar supplies is a global phenomenon and is not limited just to India. The global sugar deficit for 2026-27 is estimated at around 33 lakh MT. As a result, international sugar prices have risen sharply from $474/tonnes on June 30, 2026 to $552/tonnes on August 20, 2026. This marks an increase of over 16 per cent in less than two months, the factsheet points out.

It also states that the ethanol programme has helped sugarcane farmers and strengthened sugar mills. On average, India produces around 300-340 lakh MT of sugar annually and its domestic sugar consumption is around 280-290 lakh MT each year.

In years of surplus production, excess stocks block the funds of sugar mills and delay payments to sugarcane farmers. Diversion of excess sugar towards ethanol has helped address this structural problem and improved the financial health of sugar mills. The area under sugarcane cultivation has also increased from 49.27 lakh hectares in 2015-16 to 58.87 lakh hectares in 2025-26.

As of August 20, 2026, 97 per cent of sugarcane dues for the 2025-26 sugar season have already been paid to farmers. The improved financial position of sugar mills has reduced their dependence on government support, the statement added.