In a recent session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida shared a major update about the Subhadra Yojana, a financial support scheme for women in Odisha. She revealed that 1,83,785 women who got the first installment of the scheme’s benefits were not included in the second installment.
What is the Subhadra Yojana?
The Subhadra Yojana is a flagship program of the Odisha government that provides direct financial assistance to women across the state. It aims to boost women’s economic independence and improve their financial stability.
Big Drop in Beneficiaries: From 1.65 Crore to 98 Lakh
According to official data:
- 1,65,87,877 women received the first instalment.
- Only 98,82,092 women received the second instalment.
This shows a sharp drop of over 67 lakh beneficiaries, including 1,83,785 women who were clearly listed as having missed out on the second round.
How Much Money Has Been Given?
The scheme involves a massive financial outlay by the state:
- The government spent ₹5,032.93 crore for the first installment.
- For the second installment, ₹4,941.04 crore has been sanctioned.
This reflects the government’s continued commitment to supporting women, despite the drop in numbers.
Why Were So Many Women Excluded?
There is growing concern over the huge gap in beneficiaries between the two installments. The government has not yet given a detailed list of reasons, but officials have suggested several possibilities:
- Documentation issues: Missing or incorrect paperwork.
- Eligibility re-checks: Some women may have been found ineligible after fresh verification.
- Procedural delays or errors in processing applications.
- Age-related criteria or other rule changes might have affected eligibility.
What is the Government Doing About It?
Deputy CM Pravati Parida has assured the Assembly that:
- The government is aware of the issue.
- Steps are being taken to resolve complaints and review cases where eligible women were left out.
- Authorities are working to improve the verification process and reduce procedural errors.
Why This Matters: The Bigger Picture
The Subhadra Yojana has been a game-changer for many women in Odisha, providing them with much-needed financial backing. However, the sudden exclusion of over 1.8 lakh women has raised serious questions about the scheme’s implementation.
As the state government deals with this issue, the coming weeks will be important in understanding:
- How these exclusions are corrected.
- Whether more women will be added back to the scheme.
- How the system will be strengthened to avoid such gaps in the future.
