What is Odisha’s Subhadra scheme that PM Modi will launch on his birthday today?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is celebrating his 74th birthday today, September 17.

He is visiting Odisha to launch the Subhadra Yojana and set the groundwork for more initiatives.

PM Modi will be arriving in Bhubaneswar at noon and shortly thereafter will present the state government’s scheme for women beneficiaries.

For the scheme’s introduction, a sizable gathering of women from all over the state has been organised at Bhubaneswar’s Janata Maidan by the Mohan Charan Majhi-led government, according to The Indian Express.

At the panchayat and block levels, plans have been made to broadcast the PM’s programme live on television.

All government ministries have been instructed to utilise the Subhadra logo in all official communications and social media handles, and awareness drives are being arranged throughout the state.

What is Subhadra Yojana?

Subhadra Yojana is a financial assistance to women of Odisha, ensuring their economic independence and overall well-being.

The scheme is named after Lord Jagannath’s younger sibling, Goddess Subhadra. Depicted as part of a trio of gods alongside Subhadra and their elder sister, Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath is very highly respected in the 90 per cent Hindu state, as per the report.

The initiative will provide Rs 10,000 per year to over one crore women in the state over a period of five years, until 2028–2029.

The transfers will be made in two installments of Rs 5,000 each, on Rakhi Purnima (Raksha Bandhan, which typically falls in August), and International Women’s Day (March 8) every year.

Over 60 lakh women have already registered for the scheme, according to The Times of India. Those who have registered on or before September 15 will receive the first installment of Rs 5,000 on Tuesday.

The Subhadra Yojana Awareness Rath, a chariot that will travel throughout Odisha to raise awareness of the initiative, was officially launched on Saturday by CM Majhi.

Majhi stated that the Subhadra Yojana will empower women throughout the state while accompanied by Deputy CM Pravatai Parida, who is also the minister for women and child development.

How will it work?

A direct deposit of the funds will be made into the beneficiary’s single-holder bank account with Aadhaar enabled.

The scheme requires e-KYC due to a government mandate, as per Hindustan Times.

The recipients will also receive a Subhadra Debit Card.

An extra incentive of Rs 500 will be given to the 100 beneficiaries who have the highest number of digital transactions in each gram panchayat and urban local body region.

Who is eligible?

Applicants must be native to Odisha, between the ages of 21 and 60, and fulfil specific income criteria to be eligible for the scheme.

The scheme will not be available to women from wealthy families, government workers, or those who pay income taxes, as per Republic World.

Women who receive support from any other government programme for at least Rs 1,500 per month (or Rs 18,000 per year) would likewise not be eligible.

There isn’t a deadline for registering; the application process will go on until all qualifying beneficiaries have done so.

How will this scheme be financed?

According to official sources, the government has allocated Rs 55,825 crore for the five-year programme, which runs from 2024–2025 to 2028–2029.

Amounts been aside for the scheme total Rs 10,000 crore for the current fiscal year (2024–25).

The government will continue to focus on the initiative, according to officials in the state finance department, who said there won’t be any financial restrictions.

Why is the scheme critical for BJP?

The Subhadra project was the main campaign promise made by the BJP before the Assembly and Parliament elections, which resulted in the party winning 20 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state and ending 24 years of BJD control.

For 24 years, women played a major role in the BJD’s electoral triumph, particularly the 70 lakh members of the roughly six lakh WSHGs formed under Mission Shakti.

Launched in 2001 to empower women through market access and finance, Mission Shakti has successfully built a dedicated female voter base for the BJD over the years.

The BJP included a direct money transfer (DBT) plan in its election manifesto to counter the BJD’s Mission Shakti initiative. It promised to provide each woman beneficiary with a Rs 50,000 voucher that could be redeemed in two years.

Gathering women’s details throughout the election campaign, BJP workers assured them that the initiative would be implemented as soon as the party won power. This promise gained a lot of momentum in the community, as per The Indian Express report.

In just a few hours after taking office on June 12, the government approved the plan’s execution with a few modifications to its election promise.

How does it compare to other women’s schemes?

The Subhadra Yojana is the latest in an increasing number of women-focused programmes in India.

Similar initiatives include the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Scheme in Maharashtra, the Ladli Behna Yojana in Madhya Pradesh, and the Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana in Uttar Pradesh.

Under the Ladli Behna Scheme in Madhya Pradesh, initially eligible recipients received Rs 1,000 per month, which was later increased to Rs 1,250. The initiative serves about 94 per cent of people who are 25 years of age and above, according to CNBC-TV18. The scheme’s main goal is to assist women who live in impoverished and rural areas. It seeks to increase their level of financial independence and meet their fundamental requirements.

Similar benefits are provided by the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Scheme in Maharashtra. More than a crore women benefit directly from this plan, receiving Rs 1,500 each month. The initiative is designed for women who come from low-income families.

The Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana in Uttar Pradesh provides Rs 15,000 in monthly installments to help girl children’s education and well-being. This programme spans a range of developmental phases, from infancy to higher education.