Bhubaneswar, Jan 22: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday distributed financial assistance under the state’s flagship women-centric welfare scheme, Subhadra Yojana, to more than 4.57 lakh eligible beneficiaries, reiterating the government’s strong commitment to women’s empowerment and economic self-reliance.
The benefit distribution programme was held at Krushi Sikshya Sadan on the OUAT campus, where over ₹315 crore was transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. The assistance covered women who had missed the first, second or remaining third instalments under the scheme, as well as newly registered beneficiaries for the 2025–26 financial year.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister described Subhadra Yojana as the largest women-centric welfare initiative in post-independence Odisha, with an annual budgetary allocation of ₹11,000 crore. Under the scheme, more than one crore eligible women aged between 21 and 60 years receive ₹10,000 annually in two instalments for five years, totalling ₹50,000 per beneficiary.
Calling Subhadra a “shining example” of the government’s respect for the mothers and sisters of Odisha, Majhi recalled that the Cabinet approved the scheme on the very first day after the formation of the government. The first instalment was released on September 17, 2024, following its formal launch in Bhubaneswar in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He informed that so far, over ₹15,000 crore has been disbursed to more than one crore women across three instalments. The two annual instalments are scheduled to be released every year on the occasions of Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi Purnima) and International Women’s Day.
Highlighting the wider impact of the initiative, the Chief Minister said economic independence instils self-confidence and strengthens a woman’s role in family and society. He added that the scheme prioritises women from economically weaker sections, including rural, tribal and urban poor households, ensuring inclusive growth and social justice.
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