In a move that the party may showcase in its campaign for the Bihar Assembly polls, the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government in Haryana is set to implement the Lado-Lakshmi Yojana it had promised before the state elections. The scheme entails monthly financial aid of Rs 2,100 to eligible women. Sources said that the draft policy, prepared by the Social Justice Department, has been forwarded for final approval to Chief Minister Saini, who is likely to package it as a “gift for Haryana’s women” and officially roll it out before Rakshabandhan. “The BJP made a promise to the sisters and mothers of Haryana ahead of last year’s Assembly polls. We have worked on the modalities and have sent it to the CM’s office. Saini will officially launch the scheme in the coming days,” Social Justice Minister Krishan Kumar Bedi said. According to the draft policy, the scheme will be rolled out in four phases. Women falling below the poverty line (BPL) with an annual income of less than Rs 1.8 lakh, who number around 46 lakh, would be covered in the first phase. “The poorest of the poor, whose annual income is below Rs 1 lakh, may be given priority,” an official said. Officials said assistance under the scheme, which has a budgetary allocation of Rs 5,000 crore, “may be increased” once the government finalises the actual number of beneficiaries. Officials peg the number of women between the age groups 18 and 60 to be around 75 lakh, but said employed women and the almost 8.5 lakh women who already avail social security benefits like widow, destitute, retirement and abandonment pension are likely to be excluded from the scheme. “The eligibility criteria is yet to be finalised by the CM’s office,” sources said. The Saini government’s initiative is in line with other BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, where the Ladli Behen Yojana and Ladki Bahin Yojana were rolled out respectively ahead of Assembly polls, and seemingly played a key role in bringing the party back to power. Earlier this month, Saini too hinted that the scheme may be rolled out soon and said his government was coming up with a portal for eligible women to register themselves even as officials said that the portal will go live immediately after the CM makes an announcement. Currently, the Haryana government implements schemes like the Aapki Beti, Humari Beti; Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao; Mukhyamantri Matrushakti Udyamita Yojana; Mahila Adhikarita Yojana; Kanyadaan scheme; and Drone Didi to cater to girl children, women entrepreneurs, widows, and women belonging to backward communities. Women-centric cash assistance schemes in other states Place Scheme Launch year Aid Eligibility Andhra Pradesh Aadabidda Nidhi 2024 Rs 1,500 per month For all women aged 18 and above West Bengal Lakshmi Bhandar 2021 Rs 1,200 per month for SCs and STs; Rs 1,000 per month for other communities For women aged 25-60 Madhya Pradesh Ladli Behna 2023 Rs 1,250 per month For women aged 23-60 Himachal Pradesh Indira Pyari Behna Sukh Samman Nidhi 2024 Rs 1,000 per month For women aged 18-60 Jharkhand Maiyya Samman 2023 Rs 2,500 per month For women aged between 18-50 and falling under Antyodaya category Karnataka Gruha Lakshmi 2023 Rs 2,000 per month For all women falling below the poverty line Tamil Nadu Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam 2023 Rs 1,000 per month For women aged above 21 whose annual household income is less than Rs 2.5 lakh Chhattisgarh Mahtari Vandan 2024 Rs 1,000 per month For all women aged 21 and above Maharashtra Mazhi Ladki Bahin 2024 Rs 1,500 per month For one woman in every family whose annual household income is less than Rs 2.5 lakh Odisha Subhadra Yojana 2024 Rs 50,000 over five years For women aged 21-60
