Fresh survey to include left-out beneficiaries under Subhadra Scheme: Odisha Deputy CM

Bhubaneswar, May 21: The Odisha Government is set to conduct a fresh survey to identify and include left-out women beneficiaries under the Subhadra Scheme, Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida announced on Tuesday.

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Speaking to media persons, Parida said that many eligible women were unintentionally excluded from the initial rounds of beneficiary selection. A comprehensive assessment will now be undertaken to bridge this gap, she said, ensuring that those who qualify but were left out will receive financial support equivalent to three instalments at once.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, the government has roped in students from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sambalpur, who are currently on summer vacation. These students will reach out to communities to conduct field-level surveys and help locate eligible but unreached women.

“Inquiries will come for the Subhadra Yojana. Male and female students of IIM-Sambalpur will go door to door during their summer break to find the genuine beneficiaries who were left out. They will receive three instalments at once,” Deputy CM Parida stated.

The Subhadra Scheme, launched with the vision of economically empowering women in Odisha, aims to provide Rs 50,000 in financial aid over five years, disbursed in two annual instalments of Rs 5,000 each. 

So far, more than 1 crore women have benefitted in six phases, with financial support delivered through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts to ensure transparency.

Apart from financial aid, the scheme promotes digital literacy by issuing Subhadra Debit Cards to beneficiaries. 

These cards can be used for cash withdrawals and digital transactions. Additionally, top 100 users in every Gram Panchayat and urban area, based on digital transaction volume, receive an annual incentive of Rs 500, encouraging wider participation in India’s digital payment ecosystem.

The initiative is not just about providing monetary assistance but also empowering women to become active participants in financial decision-making.

As of December 2024, over 1 crore applications were received under the scheme. The Deputy CM had earlier assured that rejected and excluded applicants would be reconsidered in future phases.

The government’s decision to involve IIM students for a fresh survey highlights its commitment to a more inclusive approach, aiming to make the Subhadra Scheme a truly universal empowerment programme for the state's women.