Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday launched the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana. Under the scheme, all eligible women in the state will get Rs 2,100 as financial assistance every month.
Saini unveiled the scheme and a mobile app at a state-level event at Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula. Women beneficiaries can register through the mobile app.
Earlier, the Haryana cabinet decided on August 28 to start the scheme from September 25. A notification was issued for the same, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.
In March, the BJP government had made a budgetary provision of Rs 5,000 crore for the scheme.
Saini said nearly 20 lakh women in the state would be covered in the first phase. The scheme is open to both married and unmarried women between 23 and 60 years of age, from families with an annual income of up to Rs 1 lakh. Beneficiaries will receive Rs 2,100 per month directly into their bank accounts through direct benefit transfer (DBT).
Women aged above 60 will automatically qualify for the Old Age Samman Allowance Pension Scheme. The CM also said the scheme would be expanded in future phases to cover more women.
Ahead of the October 2024 Assembly polls, the BJP had promised Rs 2,100 to women as monthly assistance if voted back to power.
The CM also released a toll-free number 18001802231 and a helpline number 01724880500 for queries during the application process. At the launch event in Panchkula, registration of five women was carried out live under the scheme.
Saini told the gathering that nearly 50,000 women had already downloaded the mobile app and around 8,000 had submitted applications within hours of the launch.
During the programme, Saini also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of projects worth Rs 326.25 crore. These included 31 health projects costing Rs 78.04 crore, foundations for 97 projects worth Rs 78.12 crore, and renovation of 10 health institutions costing Rs 80.72 crore.
The CM said the scheme was launched with full transparency. Application, verification, and grievance redressal will all be handled through the mobile app. Women will not need to visit government offices or common service centres. Eligible women as of September 25 can begin applying immediately, while others may apply on the date they become eligible, he said.
He said the launch marked the fulfilment of the 42nd promise out of 217 listed in the Sankalp Patra. He added that 90 promises would be fulfilled by the end of the year.
Saini reiterated that the mission of the government is to ensure that benefits reach the last person standing in the queue. Inspired by the philosophy of Antyodaya of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, the Haryana government remains committed to uplifting every section of society, especially women and weaker sections.
Saini said Deendayal Upadhyaya believed that a nation could become great only when its women were safe, educated, and respected. The state government, he added, is committed to making women and daughters economically empowered, self-reliant, and active in society.
He also highlighted several steps taken under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for women’s empowerment. Campaigns like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Beema Sakhi Yojana, Drone Didi Yojana, and Lakhpati Didi have benefited lakhs of women. On September 17, PM Modi launched the Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyan and the 8th Poshan Maah from Madhya Pradesh, aimed at improving healthcare and nutrition for women, adolescents, and children.
In Haryana, the government has set a target to create five lakh Lakhpati Didis. Over 2.13 lakh have already been empowered. Under the Drone Didi Yojana, 100 women have received drones and training, while another 100 will be trained this year. More than 66,000 SHGs are also active in the state.
Of the 80 new colleges opened in the state, 30 are exclusively for girls. To ensure no girl misses out on higher education due to poverty, the government has made education free for girls up to post-graduation.
On the occasion, Haryana Vidhan Sabha Speaker Harvinder Kalyan called the launch of the scheme a "historic step" for women’s empowerment, especially on the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. He said this was not just a scheme but a social revolution that will help women achieve new heights in education, health, and financial independence.
He added that PM Modi’s vision of a developed India by 2047 rests on four pillars, with women’s empowerment being the foremost.
Speaking at the event, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Krishna Kumar Bedi said the Lado Lakshmi Yojana was a milestone in women’s empowerment. Health Minister Arti Singh Rao also said PM Modi has always placed emphasis on empowering women.
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