Bhubaneswar, March 8 Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan disbursed over Rs 5,100 crore to more than one crore women beneficiaries of the state's flagship Subhadra Yojana on Sunday, coinciding with International Women's Day.
Charan disbursed the fourth installment of the scheme at a special event held in Puri. Several state ministers participated virtually from different districts.
An amount of Rs 5,000 each was credited to the bank accounts of 1.02 crore women, who have already received a similar amount in three installments.
Addressing the gathering, Charan said his government has successfully empowered the women of the state through the Subhadra Yojana. The scheme has socially and economically empowered the women and made them self-reliant.
By becoming financially independent, the Subhadra beneficiaries have created a special identity for themselves in society, he added.
The chief minister said that the empowerment of Subhadra beneficiaries will accelerate the process to build a prosperous and developed Odisha.
He said that the state government has already transferred more than Rs 15,000 crore to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
Today, another Rs 5,106.33 crore has been disbursed to the bank accounts of 1.02 crore women beneficiaries through direct benefit transfer (DBT), he said.
"Those who are criticizing the scheme should know that this money will go to the market of the state... it will go to small traders, artists who are producing small items, and to the state's economy as it will enhance the buying power in many households," Charan said.
Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida said that women beneficiaries of the Subhadra scheme will play a major role in building a developed Odisha in 2036.
The distribution of over Rs 20,000 crore under the scheme proves the commitment of the government led by Chief Minister Charan for the empowerment of women of the state, she said.
The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday in Bhubaneswar on September 17, 2024.
Women within the age group of 21 to 60 years are eligible as beneficiaries of the Subhadra Yojana, which envisages providing financial assistance of Rs 50,000 over five years (2024-25 to 2028-29) to make them financially independent and self-reliant.
Each beneficiary is receiving Rs 10,000 per year in two installments of Rs 5,000 each — one on International Women's Day (March 8) and the other on Raksha Bandhan.