Argus News - Over 4.57 Lakh Odisha Women to Receive Financial Aid This Week Under Subhadra Yojana

Bhubaneswar, Jan 8: Financial assistance under the Subhadra Yojana will be credited to the bank accounts of 4,57,681 women beneficiaries across Odisha this week, with the state government set to release nearly Rs 250 crore, officials said.

According to official data, 1,78,398 women have been newly included under the scheme and will receive the first instalment. At the same time, 2,55,265 beneficiaries who were earlier left out of the first and second instalments have now been re-included and will receive both instalments together. In addition, 24,018 women were brought under the scheme following grievance redressal hearings, enabling them to receive financial assistance.

What Is Subhadra Yojana
The Subhadra Yojana, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17, 2024, is aimed at providing Rs 50,000 over five years to eligible women aged 21 to 60 years. Each beneficiary receives Rs 10,000 annually, paid in two instalments of Rs 5,000 each—one on Rakhi Purnima and the other on International Women’s Day (March 8)—through direct bank transfer.

Auto-Inclusion Approved for Women Turning 60
Earlier in December 2025, in a major relief for women exiting the Subhadra scheme after crossing the age of 60, the Odisha government has approved their automatic inclusion into old-age pension schemes.

At a high-level meeting, former Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja had cleared the proposal, directing the Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC) to enable auto-migration between schemes through the common state pension portal. This would ensure beneficiaries do not face a financial gap after ageing out of Subhadra.

Nearly 94,000 Women Affected by Age Cut-Off
Official records indicate that 93,792 women crossed 60 years of age as of March 31, 2025, and were phased out of Subhadra after receiving two instalments of Rs 5,000 each during the scheme’s first year. The auto-inclusion decision is expected to benefit these women, many of whom were facing delays due to a backlog of pension applications at the district level.

Different Eligibility Norms Remain a Challenge
Officials clarified that eligibility norms vary between Subhadra and pension schemes. While Subhadra allows an annual family income of up to Rs 2.5 lakh, old-age pension schemes cap income at Rs 60,000 per annum. Authorities said the auto-migration mechanism will operate within the existing eligibility framework.

Pension Coverage in Odisha
Odisha currently has around 36.75 lakh beneficiaries under the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY) and about 21 lakh beneficiaries under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). The state also has a backlog of over six lakh pension applications, making the auto-inclusion mechanism crucial to prevent delays in financial support.