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Anytime News Network – Pooja Srivastava
The Uttar Pradesh government has approved a major initiative aimed at improving rural transport connectivity across the state. During a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister Rural Transport Scheme 2026 was formally approved.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Finance and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Khanna said that the cabinet discussed 31 proposals, out of which 30 were approved, including the new rural transport initiative.
Transport Minister Dayashankar Singh provided details about the scheme and said that currently around 12,200 villages in Uttar Pradesh do not have access to bus services. The government aims to extend bus connectivity to all 59,163 gram sabhas in the state through this scheme.
Under the policy, buses operating under the Chief Minister Rural Transport Scheme will be exempt from permit and tax, making it financially viable for private operators to run services in rural areas. Operators will be selected by a committee chaired by the District Magistrate and including officials such as the Chief Development Officer, Superintendent of Police, Regional Transport Officer and Area Regional Manager.
Due to infrastructure limitations in several villages, the government has planned to deploy smaller buses with a maximum length of seven meters and seating capacity of up to 28 passengers. These buses will start from villages in the morning, pass through block and tehsil headquarters, and reach the district headquarters by around 10 AM before returning to villages in the evening.
The scheme is expected to significantly improve mobility for students, farmers, workers and small traders who frequently travel to nearby towns and district centres for education, employment and business activities.
Officials believe that better rural transport connectivity will not only improve access to services but also help strengthen local economies by connecting villages with urban markets.
