Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch the Subhadra Yojana on his 74th birthday, 17 September 2024. This ambitious scheme, initiated by the Odisha government, will provide financial assistance to women across the state, with Rs 10,000 being deposited annually in the accounts of eligible female beneficiaries aged between 21 and 60 years.
The launch of the Subhadra Yojana is expected to be a major event, with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi‘s government planning a significant gathering of women at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar. The event will also be broadcast live across the state at the panchayat and block levels, making it accessible to women in every corner of Odisha.
Key Features of the Subhadra Yojana
The scheme, named after Goddess Subhadra, the younger sister of Lord Jagannath, Odisha’s revered deity, aims to provide crucial financial assistance to over 1 crore women across the state. It is designed to empower women and improve their financial independence, especially those from economically weaker sections of society.
Under the Subhadra Yojana, the state will deposit Rs 10,000 annually into the accounts of eligible women for the next five years, from 2024-25 to 2028-29. The assistance will be transferred in two instalments of Rs 5,000 each, timed to coincide with significant dates. The first instalment will be credited on Rakhi Purnima (Raksha Bandhan), which typically falls in August, and the second instalment will be transferred on International Women’s Day, celebrated on 8 March.
Aadhaar-Linked Payments
To ensure transparency and efficiency, the funds will be directly transferred to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts linked to their Aadhaar numbers. The government has made e-KYC mandatory for the scheme, ensuring that the benefits reach the intended recipients. Beneficiaries of the scheme will also be issued Subhadra debit cards to facilitate digital transactions.
As part of an initiative to promote digital literacy and financial inclusion, an additional incentive of Rs 500 will be given to the top 100 beneficiaries in each gram panchayat and urban local body area who conduct the highest number of digital transactions using their Subhadra debit cards.
Eligibility Criteria and Exclusions
While the scheme targets a vast number of women, there are certain exclusions. Women from financially well-off families, government employees, and those paying income tax will not be eligible for the scheme. Additionally, women who are already receiving financial assistance of Rs 1,500 or more per month (or Rs 18,000 or more annually) under any other government schemes will be excluded from this programme.
Registration and Process
Eligible women can register for the scheme through banks, post offices, and common service centres (CSCs) located throughout Odisha. The registration process has been designed to be simple and accessible, with no fixed deadline, allowing women to register at their convenience. This ensures that no eligible beneficiary is left out and provides ample time for the state to bring all potential beneficiaries under the scheme.
Financial Outlay
The Odisha government has allocated a substantial budget to fund the Subhadra Yojana. Over the next five years, the scheme will require an estimated Rs 55,825 crore, with Rs 10,000 crore set aside for the 2024-25 financial year alone. This level of investment underscores the government’s commitment to women’s empowerment and financial support across the state.
Political Implications
The launch of the Subhadra Yojana holds significant political importance. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had promised the introduction of this scheme ahead of both the assembly and parliamentary elections in Odisha, and it played a pivotal role in the BJP’s electoral success. The Subhadra Yojana was one of the key factors that helped the BJP end the 24-year rule of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in Odisha.
The scheme is expected to have a far-reaching impact on the state’s political landscape, especially among women voters. For years, the BJD had cultivated a loyal base of women supporters through initiatives like Mission Shakti, a programme that aimed to empower women by providing them with credit and market linkages. The BJP’s introduction of the Subhadra Yojana could potentially shift the support of women, particularly the nearly 70 lakh members of self-help groups (WSHGs) organised under Mission Shakti, towards the BJP.
Mission Shakti, launched in 2001, had been a cornerstone of the BJD’s governance strategy, creating a vote bank of women who played a critical role in the party’s sustained success. By offering direct financial assistance to a similar demographic, the BJP aims to consolidate its support among women, further solidifying its electoral prospects in the coming years.
Conclusion
The Subhadra Yojana, named after Goddess Subhadra, promises to bring tangible financial benefits to over 1 crore women in Odisha, helping them achieve greater economic independence. With a substantial budget, the scheme represents a major step in the BJP’s efforts to build a strong base of support among women in the state.
As PM Narendra Modi prepares to launch this transformative scheme, it signals a renewed focus on women’s empowerment in Odisha, potentially reshaping the state’s political landscape for years to come.