Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India]: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Women and Child Development, Pravati Parida, announced that more than 98 lakh women have received benefits under the Subhadra Scheme, with additional assistance scheduled for March 6 and International Women’s Day on March 8.
Pravati Parida stated, “We gave benefits of Subhadra Scheme to more than 98 lakh women. Our target was to give the benefits of the scheme to more than 1 crore women. On March 6, we will give assistance to more than 1,70,000 women. On 8th March, we will provide Rs 5,000 crore to 1 crore women.”
The Subhadra Scheme, aimed at women’s empowerment, was approved by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in the state legislative assembly in August 2024. Announcing the scheme, the Chief Minister said, “I take this opportunity on this auspicious day to inform this House about the approval of a path-breaking initiative for women’s empowerment, Subhadra, by the state cabinet. As decided by the state cabinet in its meeting held on August 22, 2024, at Lok Seva Bhawan, the scheme has been approved for implementation from the financial year 2024-25 to the financial year 2028-29. An outlay of Rs 55,825.00 crore has been made for this initiative.”
According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), the Subhadra Scheme aims to transform the lives of over 1 crore women in Odisha. It will benefit all eligible women aged 21 years or above and less than 60 years old.
Under the scheme, a total of Rs 10,000 per annum will be paid to beneficiaries in two installments of Rs 5,000 each — one on Rakhi Purnima Day and another on International Women’s Day (March 8). This means that each eligible woman will receive a total of Rs 50,000 over a span of five years.
To ensure transparency, the assistance will be transferred directly to the beneficiaries’ Aadhaar-enabled single-holder bank accounts through the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS). Beneficiaries will also receive a Subhadra Debit Card to facilitate easy access to the funds.
Additionally, to promote digital transactions, 100 beneficiaries with the highest number of digital transactions in each Gram Panchayat and Urban Local Body will be rewarded with an extra incentive of Rs 500 each.
The CMO clarified that the scheme is focused on empowering economically weaker sections. As a result, women from financially well-off families, government servants, or Income Tax payees will not be eligible for the benefits. Moreover, women who already receive financial assistance of Rs 1,500 or more per month or Rs 18,000 or more per year under any other government scheme will also be excluded from the Subhadra Scheme.
The ambitious initiative is seen as a significant step towards enhancing financial independence and digital literacy among women in Odisha.