SUBHADRA Yojana Guidelines Released I Check Eligibility Criteria, Application Process

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government on Monday released the detailed guidelines to apply for the SUBHADRA Yojana, a path-breaking initiative for women empowerment.

The Women and Child Development Department has directed to start the application process for the Subhadra Yojana with specific instructions for District Collectors and Commissioners of Municipal Corporations in this regard.

The form will be available at Anganwadi Centres, Block Offices, Municipal Offices, Mo Seva Kendras and Jan Seva Kendras and appropriate places designated by the respective District or Municipal Administration. The Government has directed the administration to print the form in large quantities which will be made available to the applicants free of cost.

Development Commissioner Anu Garg has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to take necessary security measures at the form distribution points and keep a strict watch on brokers and miscreants.

This scheme will be implemented in all 30 districts of the state. All women who meet the eligibility criteria will be covered under this scheme.

Aims and Objectives:

By providing financial support, creating awareness about women’s rights, improving health and educational status, promoting financial independence and entrepreneurship, encouraging digital financial literacy and empowering them for personal and global growth.

Benefits under Subhadra:

• To create a sense of identity and empowerment, all beneficiaries will be provided with a Subhadra Card (ATM-cum-Debit Card)
• All eligible beneficiaries will get Rs.50,000 (@ Rs.10,000 per annum) from 2024-25 to 2028-29, i.e. for a period of 5 years) if they fulfill the following eligibility criteria every year:
• The annual installment of Rs.10,000 will be deposited in two installments of Rs.5,000 each.
• Women above the age of 21 years will get Rs.10,000 per annum from the date of eligibility for the remaining years of the scheme.
• Women who attain the age of 60 years during the completion of this scheme will be paid Rs.10,000 per annum only till the age of 60 years.
• Every year the first installment will be paid on Raskha Bandhan and the second installment on International Women’s Day (March 8).
• The amount will be deposited through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) using Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (APBS) in an Aadhaar-enabled and DBT-enabled single-holder bank account in the name of the beneficiary.
• Government will launch a comprehensive award and recognition program to encourage digital transactions. Under this, 100 women from all gram panchayats/municipal bodies who have done maximum number of digital transactions in a given financial year will get an additional benefit of Rs.500 through their bank account. (A detailed SOP will be prepared and notified).

Eligibility Criteria for Beneficiary:

All women beneficiaries must fulfill the following eligibility criteria to avail the benefits of this scheme:

• Applicant must be a resident of Odisha.
• To be eligible under this scheme, the applicant’s age should be 21 years or more and less than 60 years as of the date of eligibility.
• The date of birth recorded on the Aadhaar card will be taken as the final date for calculating age.
• For the financial year 2024-25, the age must be 21 years or more and less than 60 years as of 2024. Therefore, the date of birth of the applicant should not be before 02.07.1964 or after 01.07.2003. For subsequent years, the eligibility date will be fixed by the Govt.

Disqualification Criteria:

Women who come under the following criteria will be ineligible for benefits under the scheme:

• No woman below 21 years of age and above 60 years of age as on 1 July 2024 shall be eligible for the financial year 2024-25.
• Any woman receiving assistance of Rs.1,500 or more per month or Rs.18,000 or more per annum from any state or central government scheme such as pension, scholarship etc. will not be considered eligible.
  • If a woman herself or a member of her own family:
  • An incumbent or former Member of Parliament or Member of Legislative Assembly.
  • An income tax payer.
  • Any elected public representative in any Urban Local Body or Panchayat Raj Institution (other than Ward Member, Councilor only)
  • Any undertaking / board / local body / organization under the Government of India or any State Government / appointed as regular / permanent / contractual employee or receiving pension after retirement. All salaried employees and all employees engaged through outsourcing agencies will be considered eligible under the scheme if they meet all other criteria of the scheme.
  • Any Government Department/Undertaking Board/ Government of India or nominated representative of State Government.
  • The applicant’s family’s irrigated land should be between 5 acres and non-irrigated land should be more than 10 acres.
  • Owners of 4-wheeled motor vehicles other than tractors, mid-trucks, small commercial vehicles and other similar light goods vehicles.
  • A woman from a family deprived of NFSA/SFSS card can apply under Subhadra, whose family income is more than Rs.2.50 lakh.

Identification of Beneficiaries:

• All eligible women applicants are required to apply for availing benefits under this scheme.
• Applications can be submitted offline by filling a printed form and online through Subhadra portal.
• Adequate printed application forms will be available free of charge at various places and offices such as Anganwadi Centres, Block Offices, Mo Seva Kendras, Jan Seva Kendras etc.
• Applicants have to fill up the form and submit it to the nearest Mo Seva Kendra / Jan Seva Kendra.
• In case of any discrepancy between the form and the Aadhaar submitted by the applicant, the information contained in the Aadhaar will be accepted as final.
• All applications collected will be cross-checked against the latest available database with the Government and through field investigation where necessary.
• All applicants to be considered eligible under “Subhadra”, should submit declaration form for e-KYC. The beneficiaries could complete the process of face-authentication in e-KYC would enable Subhadra Portal / Subhadra Mobile App by providing Aadhaar Number.
• An aspirant may choose to withdraw from Subhadra voluntarily to support the empowerment and welfare of her fellow congregants in Odisha through the Subhadra portal.

Requirements for availing benefits under Subhadra:

Women who are eligible and have applied for benefits under Subhadra will be asked to ensure the following guidelines:

• They must have an Aadhaar card/Aadhaar number in their name.
• They must have linked their mobile number with their Aadhaar card.
• They must have a single-holder bank account that is Aadhaar-enabled and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)-enabled.

If the beneficiary does not have an Aadhaar number or the data in his Aadhaar card does not match, she has to register herself under Aadhaar or correct the data as required.

If the beneficiary does not have a single Aadhaar-enabled and DBT-enabled debit account, she is required to (a) open a single bearer bank account, (b) make the bank account Aadhaar-enabled, (c) make the bank account DBT-enabled and (d) complete the one-time e-KYC process.

In the financial year 2024-25, all beneficiaries will get a total benefit of Rs.10,000 under Subhadra from the date of launch of the scheme irrespective of the date of approval.

Responsibilities of Applicant/Beneficiary:

All applicants/beneficiaries have to undertake the following obligations under Subhadra.

1. To ensure efficient and smooth transfer of benefits, the beneficiaries should open a single bearer bank account, enable it for the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System (ABPS) and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and formally ensure Electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC).
2. Beneficiaries must provide correct and accurate information during the application process. If at any time the beneficiary is found to be ineligible, the benefits will be immediately terminated and legal and administrative action will be taken to recover the benefits and fraud.
3. If the sanctioned beneficiary is declared dead due to unfortunate events, the sanctioned assistance will be cancelled and the benefit payable in the name of the deceased cannot be claimed.
4. Beneficiaries/applicants can opt out of the scheme on the Subhadra portal when they are ineligible. For example, getting a government job, improving the financial status of a household, etc.
5. Beneficiaries will be encouraged to do more digital transactions to enable them to avail higher incentive amounts.
6. By applying or not opting under Subhadra, the beneficiary has to give consent to the use of their data including Aadhaar for monitoring and evaluation by the scheme authority.
7. In case of any overpayment due to administrative error, the beneficiaries will be liable to refund the excess amount either voluntarily or after being identified by the authorities and as soon as they are contacted.

Monitoring and evaluation process:

The scheme will be monitored through a robust monitoring and evaluation system designed to measure the efficient delivery of benefits, compliance with the scheme’s guidelines and the overall impact, effectiveness and reach of the scheme.

Management and Monitoring Committee:

A State Level Management and Monitoring Committee (SLSMC) will be constituted at the State level to monitor the effective implementation of the scheme.