CM disburses Rs 315 cr Subhadra fund

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday disbursed over Rs 315 crore to the bank accounts of more than 4.57 lakh beneficiaries under Subhadra Yojana, which he called the “State’s biggest women-centric welfare scheme since Independence”.

Majhi, at a programme, transferred Rs 5,000 each to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). He said more than one crore people are benefiting from the scheme under which all eligible women in the age group of 21 to 60 years are provided with an assistance of Rs 10,000 every year in two equal instalments.

The Chief Minister said each beneficiary will receive Rs 50,000 at the end of five years as promised by the ruling BJP in its election manifesto. He also handed over cheques to selected five beneficiaries. Of the over 4,57,681 lakh beneficiaries who received Rs 5,000 each on Thursday, 1,78,398 were newly enrolled and this was their first instalment, while 2,55,265 got their second and third instalments. Additionally, 24,018 beneficiaries were also added through grievance redressal hearings, said Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who is also in charge of Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti department.

Alleging that the previous BJD government was “using women under Mission Shakti for its political benefits”, Majhi said Subhadra Yojana, launched on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17, 2024, is a key initiative of the Odisha government which aims to enhance the socio-economic condition of the women.

“Subhadra Yojana is Odisha’s biggest-ever women centric scheme since Independence. Over one crore women are getting benefits under the scheme. The State is providing direct financial support to the women,” Majhi said, adding that instalments are generally released on ‘Rakhi Purnima’ (Raksha Bandhan) and International Women’s Day (March 8).

Beneficiaries also receive a Subhadra Card (an ATM-cum-debit card) to facilitate transactions and promote digital empowerment. Calling upon the beneficiaries to properly utilise the funds, the Chief Minister encouraged the women to undertake fishing and dairy business to improve their financial condition.

Majhi said the State government has allocated around Rs 89,000 crore towards different women-centric schemes in the annual budget for the 2025-26 fiscal. He pointed out that the State government has made 17 lakh women

‘Lakhpati Didis’.