Vidya Balan’s saree in SP’s Pension Yojna ad faces flak

Lucknow: Actress Vidya Balan has been caught into a controversy, after being chosen as a brand ambassador of the ambitious Samajwadi Pension Yojana by the Uttar Pradesh Government on Friday. The opposition is pointing fingers the saree worn by Balan in the advertisement saying the green and red saree endorses the party. The opposition is claiming that colours of the saree symbolise the Samajwadi party and Balan is endorsing the party and not the scheme. PTI Photo On Friday Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav thanked Balan for associating with the Pension scheme.  "We are grateful of Vidya Balan for getting associated with the biggest scheme of UP, the Samajwadi Pension Scheme," Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said at an event here. The actor who had earlier been associated with the "ghar-ghar shauchalya" campaign of the union government will be seen campaigning about the scheme in the coming months. "I am very happy as the money meant to be given in this scheme will go directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries and money is power. About 50 per cent population comprise of women who have been left far behind and are now taking small steps forward", Balan, who was also present at the event, said. "This scheme will have a direct impact on the lives of people, though I have not contributed anything into it I am happy to be the face of it," she said. Akhilesh has launched the scheme with an aim to provide Rs 500 per month to poor women and cover at least 50 lakh beneficiaries in the state.