Bhubaneswar, March 6, 2025: The Government of Odisha’s flagship women’s empowerment initiative, SUBHADRA, has reached a major milestone, with its beneficiaries crossing the 1 crore mark. Launched on June 17, 2024, Odisha’s largest women’s empowerment programme fosters economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, and skill development for women across the state.
Backed by an INR 55,000 crore budget, with INR 11,000 crore earmarked for 2024-25, the initiative has emerged as a national model of participatory governance and technology-driven benefit disbursement. SUBHADRA utilises direct benefit transfers through single-holder bank accounts, ensuring transparency and efficiency. It is also the first scheme in India to integrate Central Bank Digital Currency for financial disbursements, setting a benchmark for digital financial inclusion.
“SUBHADRA is more than just financial aid; it is a movement towards economic independence for women. It drives the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s vision of women-led development, strengthened by Digital India. By integrating technology, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship, we are ensuring that women across Odisha can shape their own destinies. As we reach 1 crore beneficiaries, we are now focused on transforming them into ‘Lakhpati Didis’ by providing them skills to become micro-entrepreneurs,” says the Honourable Deputy Chief Minister of Odisha, Smt. Pravati Parida.
SUBHADRA’s design was shaped through extensive stakeholder consultations to address the real needs of women in Odisha. The scheme prioritises the economically productive 21-60 age group, providing financial assistance on significant women-centric occasions such as Rakhi Purnima and International Women’s Day.
In addition to financial support, the scheme promotes entrepreneurship and skill development through collaborations with IIM Sambalpur for impact assessment and the World Skill Centre for training.
Odisha’s commitment to leveraging technology for welfare delivery is evident in SUBHADRA’s seamless execution. The initiative employs the Aadhaar Payment Bridge System for direct benefit transfers, enabling timely and error-free transactions. With over 1.08 crore registrations, the scheme’s digital-first approach has redefined accessibility and inclusion.
According to the Odisha Economic Survey 2024-25, the implementation of SUBHADRA is expected to generate a gross output impact of INR 1 lakh crore to INR 1.5 lakh crore over five years. The Government of Odisha remains committed to scaling up the initiative, ensuring that every deserving woman benefits from long-term financial independence.
SUBHADRA has already set a national precedent, with its success demonstrating how women-centric policies can drive large-scale economic and social transformation. As the programme progresses, it has the potential to serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives across India.
