Finance
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi distributed benefits to over 4.57 lakh eligible beneficiaries on Thursday as part of the state’s major women-centric welfare scheme, Subhadra Yojana, reinforcing the government’s commitment to women’s empowerment and economic self-reliance.
The benefit distribution program was place at Krushi Sikshya Sadan on the OUAT campus. Over ₹315 crore was deposited directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
In addition to newly registered beneficiaries for the fiscal year 2025–2026, the aid covered women who had not received the first, second, or remaining third installments under the scheme.
Speaking to the crowd, Chief Minister Majhi said that Subhadra Yojana, which has an annual budget of ₹11,000 crore, is the biggest women-focused welfare program in Odisha since independence. Over one crore eligible women between the ages of 21 and 60 are eligible to earn ₹10,000 per year in two installments for five years under the initiative, totaling ₹50,000 each beneficiary.
Referring to Subhadra as a “shining example” of the government’s regard and dedication to Odisha’s mothers and sisters, the Chief Minister remembered that the plan was approved by the Cabinet on the first day following the government’s establishment. On September 17, 2024, the first installment was paid out after Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the scheme’s official launch in Bhubaneswar.
He reported that more over one crore recipients have received more than ₹15,000 crore in three installments thus far. The two yearly installments are supposed to be released on International Women’s Day and Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi Purnima).
Majhi emphasized the program’s wider effects, stating that economic independence boosts a woman’s voice in the home and in society and fosters self-confidence. Women who are financially secure are better able to make decisions, make plans for the future, and bravely confront obstacles. The goal of Subhadra Yojana is to foster that confidence, he stated.
The Chief Minister added that in order to ensure inclusive growth and social fairness, the program gives priority to economically weaker groups, such as women from rural areas, tribal communities, urban poor households, and other vulnerable groups.
Majhi stated that a record ₹89,862 crore, or about 30% of the state budget, has been set aside specifically for mothers and women in the current fiscal year, highlighting the government’s broader commitment on women-centric development. He stated that women’s economic basis has already been strengthened and their general growth expedited by the three installments paid out under Subhadra.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida stated that the Subhadra Yojana has shown that women can launch their own businesses through hard work. “We can build a prosperous and developed Odisha with dignity, self-reliance, and self-respect at the core,” she said.
The Chief Minister also gave assistance checks and congratulated five successful Subhadra recipients during the program.
Among the officials in attendance were Director Monisha Banerjee, Principal Secretary of the Women and Child Development Department Shubha Sharma, and MLA Babu Singh of Ekamra Bhubaneswar.
