Bhubaneswar: Describing the disbursement of the fifth instalment of the Subhadra Yojana on Rakhi Purnima as akin to fulfilling a brother’s duty, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday said the scheme has emerged as a symbol of women’s empowerment and the government’s commitment to the women of the state.
The Chief Minister made the remarks while distributing the fifth instalment of financial assistance under the flagship scheme at Lathipada in Nayagarh district. More than Rs 5,163 crore was transferred to the bank accounts of 1,03,26,162 eligible beneficiaries across Odisha, including 2,33,585 women from Nayagarh district who received Rs 116.80 crore.
“On Rakhi Purnima, a brother gives gifts to his sister. As the head of Odisha’s government, providing assistance under Subhadra on Raksha Bandhan makes me feel as if I am fulfilling a brother’s duty,” Majhi said.
Addressing the women beneficiaries attending the programme, the Chief Minister said Subhadra was not merely an occasion for distributing money but represented the government’s commitment to empowering nearly half of the state’s population.
He said true women’s empowerment meant more than providing financial assistance, and involved enabling women to become self-reliant socially, politically and economically while ensuring that they have the freedom to take decisions for themselves.
Citing survey reports by IIM Sambalpur and the State Bank of India, Majhi said nearly 80 per cent of women beneficiaries had not used the Subhadra assistance merely for meeting daily needs, but had utilised the money for long-term financial security, business and developmental activities.
He said 87.19 per cent of beneficiaries had described the scheme as extremely useful, while an increase had been recorded in women’s bank account balances and monthly expenditure.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the success stories of Subhadra beneficiaries, including Ranjubala and Saudamini Nanda of Nayagarh, Gauri Sahu of Ganjam, Bharati Jagadal of Subarnapur and Arati Khosla of Koraput, saying their entrepreneurial journeys had become an inspiration for other women.
He said the government had created a ‘Women Entrepreneurship Platform’ to provide women with guidance for starting businesses, skill training, market linkages and financial assistance.
Majhi further said Odisha had created 27 lakh Lakhpati Didis ahead of the target and had emerged as the leading state in the country in this regard.
The Chief Minister also referred to initiatives such as the Kanyabibaha Yojana and Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana and said the state budget had made a historic allocation of Rs 1,22,764 crore for women.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to strengthen women’s political representation through the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, Majhi appealed to people to light lamps and offer prayers on September 17 on the occasion of the Prime Minister’s 76th birthday.
Assuring the people of Nayagarh of further development, the Chief Minister said the Nayagarh sugar mill would be established soon with the cooperation of the Central government and work on the Brutanga irrigation project would also begin.
Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy said the state government had taken the right decision by implementing the Subhadra Yojana and claimed that the scheme had brought changes in the social and economic lives of more than one crore women.
Deputy Chief Minister and Women and Child Development Minister Pravati Parida described Subhadra as a symbol of the dreams, dignity and self-reliance of women. She thanked the Chief Minister for providing free bus travel facilities to women on Rakhi Purnima and said the scheme had enabled women to take independent decisions and pursue entrepreneurship.
Puri MP Sambit Patra congratulated the Chief Minister for achieving the Lakhpati Didi target ahead of schedule. He also recalled Majhi’s flood inspections, saying his visits, including those undertaken on foot, had surprised MPs in Parliament.
Kandhamal MP Sukanta Panigrahi said the awakening of women’s power leads to the development of society and praised the efforts being made under the leadership of the Prime Minister and Chief Minister to strengthen the dignity and empowerment of women.
During the programme, Majhi interacted with successful Subhadra beneficiaries and trained beneficiaries from Keonjhar and Ganjam districts. He also released the Subhadra Annual Report 2025-26, the SBI Survey Report and the Subhadra Review.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Women and Child Development Department Mrinalini Darswal delivered the welcome address, while Khandapada MLA and Chairman of the District Planning Committee Dushmanta Kumar Swain proposed the vote of thanks.
Director of the Women and Child Development Department Monisha Banerjee, Nayagarh Collector Madhumita Rath and senior departmental officials were among those present.
