Bhubaneswar: Fulfilling their major poll promise, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today announced that the BJP Government will provide Rs 10,000 in two instalments to more than 1 crore eligible women under the Subhadra scheme.
After the State Cabinet has approved the scheme in its meeting held last night, the Chief Minister has announced this in the Assembly today.
“I take this opportunity on this auspicious day to inform this August House about the approval of a path-breaking initiative for Women’s Empowerment: Subhadra by the State Cabinet,” Shri Majhi said in the House.
As decided by the State Cabinet in its meeting held on August 22 at Lok Seva Bhawan, the scheme has been approved for implementation from the financial year 2024-25 to financial year 2028-29 with an outlay of Rs 55,825 crore, he announced.
Subhadra will transform the lives of more than 1 crore women of the State. It will cover all eligible women aged 21 years or above and less than 60 years, he said.
The CM said a total of Rs 10,000 per annum will be paid in two instalments of Rs 5000 each on Rakhi Purnima day and International Women’s Day (March 8). Thus, an eligible woman beneficiary will get Rs 50,000 in total in five years.
In order to ensure transparency in providing the assistance, the payment will be made directly to the beneficiary’s Aadhaar-enabled single-holder (DBT) bank account through the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS). A Subhadra Debit Card will also be issued to the beneficiaries, he stated.
In order to encourage digital transactions, 100 beneficiaries with maximum digital transactions will be identified in each Gram Panchayat and Urban Local Body (ULB) and an additional incentive of Rs 500 shall be given to each of them, he further announced.
“Our government is committed towards ‘Antyodaya’. Hence, women from economically well-off families, Government servants or Income Tax payers will not be eligible under this scheme. Besides, Women who are receiving assistance of Rs1,500 or more per month or Rs 18,000 or more per year under any other government scheme will also be ineligible for inclusion under the scheme,” Shri Majhi added.
To avail the benefits under this scheme, the women can apply by filling up the forms available free of cost at Anganwadi Centres, Block Offices, Mo Seva Kendras, Jan Seva Kendras etc. A Call Centre will also be set up for Subhadra, he informed the House.
Stating that the Women and Child Development Department will establish a Subhadra Society for the implementation and monitoring of the programme, the CM said, “Our Government is taking steps to launch ” Subhadra” at the earliest.”
This far-sighted and far-reaching decision of the State Cabinet will fulfil the assurance made by the Government to the people of Odisha, CM stated.
The CM sought active co-operation of the MLAs for the successful implementation of Subhadra and to ensure that no deserving woman is left out.