NEW DELHI: Indian film actress Vidya Balan has been made the brand ambassador for Samajwadi Pension Yojna or Samajwadi Pension Scheme by the Uttar Pradesh government aimed at empowering the State’s financially poor women.

“This (monthly) pension scheme is an important step towards women empowerment,” Balan said in Lucknow at a function organised by the State Government to announce this particular scheme and dwell on other pro-people government projects.

According to Balan, empowering women is relevant and important as womenfolk not only work for their own development, but also their whole family.

In the past also Balan had been roped in for various government initiatives at the both the Central and State levels, including those revolving around themes of importance of general cleanliness and having toilets in village homes.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, while expressing gratitude to Balan for agreeing to be associated with the scheme, said that as many more people know the film actress, the scheme is certain to get more exposure and become popular, especially in rural areas.

The Chief Minister added that he’s slowly learning the importance of effective PR activities and having celeb brand ambassadors for UP government’s initiatives, many of which, though benefitting the people, did not get the desired publicity in the media and elsewhere in the past.

Under the pension scheme the State government is proposing to directly transfer into the bank accounts of beneficiary-women of 55 lakh (550,0000) families a sum of Rs. 500 monthly.