The Odisha government has disbursed more than Rs 20,648 crore to over one crore women beneficiaries of the ‘Subhadra Yojana’ in four instalments over the last two years. Officials say the fifth tranche — Rs 5,000 per beneficiary — will be released on Raksha Bandhan in August. Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida led a high-level review meeting on Friday to assess preparations and issued directions to accelerate pending field verification.

According to an official order released by the Odisha government, the process will be completed within the next two weeks — with the Women and Child Development in charge urging applicants to finish their KYC and other formalities. The portal has reportedly received 3.17 lakh new proposals during financial year 2026–27.

“We will complete field verification of pending applicants by July 25,” Parida told reporters.

She urged officials to maintain daily reviews of progress so that disbursement proceeds on schedule. Parida also noted that the block-level committees will finalise and forward verified cases through district channels to the state for payment processing.

What is ‘Subhadra Yojana’?

Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bhubaneswar on September 17, 2024, ‘Subhadra Yojana’ is an ambitious, women-centric welfare scheme of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government that pledges Rs 50,000 per eligible woman over five years (2024–25 to 2028–29).

Women aged 21 to 60 qualify for the scheme, which is structured to provide Rs 10,000 a year in two equal instalments of Rs 5,000 each — one timed to International Women’s Day (March 8) and the other to Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi festival)— with the stated aim of making beneficiaries financially independent and self-reliant.

5th instalment, pending verifications and applicant responsibilities in Subhadra Yojana

Officials have identified about 3.53 lakh applications that remain pending field verification. Parida called on applicants to complete outstanding formalities — including e-KYC, bank account verification and biometric validation — as soon as possible to ensure they do not miss out on the benefit.

“Concerned applicants should complete these as soon as possible to reap the scheme’s benefit,” she said, underlining the need for a coordinated push at the grassroots level to clear bottlenecks.

1.15 crore applications, eligibility and beneficiary count

Since its launch, the Subhadra portal has registered 1.15 crore applications, with 3.17 lakh new proposals received during financial year 2026–27. Following scrutiny and eligibility assessment, officials initially identified 1.02 crore women as potential beneficiaries for the upcoming fifth instalment. Subsequent verification by district administrations confirmed the deaths of 5,277 beneficiaries, resulting in a current final list of approximately 1.01 crore eligible recipients for the fifth tranche, officials confirmed.

Money flow ready: Operational checklists tighten for smooth Rs 5,000 Rakhi transfer

During the review meeting, Parida examined progress on key operational tasks required for a smooth Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) cycle: DBT activation, biometric e-KYC completion, field enquiries, NPCI mapping, preparation of payment files and bank coordination. She emphasised “expeditious disposal of pending cases” and stressed close coordination among field-level functionaries, relevant departments, technical agencies and banking institutions to complete all necessary processes within the stipulated timelines.

The deputy chief minister reiterated the government’s emphasis on timely, transparent and error-free implementation of the Subhadra Yojana.

“Complete preparedness at all levels is essential for seamless disbursement of the fifth instalment to every eligible beneficiary,” Parida said, directing officials to ensure that payments are accurate and reach beneficiaries without delay.

The transfer of more than Rs 20,648 crore to over one crore women in two years highlights both the administrative reach of Odisha’s welfare machinery and the substantial fiscal commitment toward female financial inclusion. With the fifth tranche slated for Raksha Bandhan in August, the state administration is racing to clear remaining verification hurdles to ensure the planned benefit reaches every eligible woman in time.