Lado Lakshmi Scheme To Expand: 1.7 Million New Women To Join
Women From These Families Will Also Be Eligible
The Haryana govt. is set to expand the scope of the Lado Lakshmi Scheme. Starting September 17, women from families with an annual income ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹1.80 lakh will also begin receiving financial assistance of ₹2,100 per month. The government has identified approximately 1.7 million women across the state in this income bracket as new beneficiaries. Previously, the scheme’s benefits were limited to women from families with an annual income of up to ₹1 lakh. To date, the scheme has 1.01 million beneficiaries, and a total of ₹2,254.47 crore has been disbursed to them across 11 installments.
The Haryana government has increased the Lado Lakshmi Scheme’s budget from ₹5,000 crore to ₹6,500 crore. This ₹1,500 crore hike follows the decision to include women from the new income bracket in the scheme. As the income limit has been raised, the number of beneficiaries will also increase, necessitating the provision of an additional budget. The government states that the increased budget will help ensure the regular disbursement of ₹2,100 in monthly financial assistance to eligible women.
Number Of Beneficiaries Identified By District
Faridabad leads the list of new beneficiaries with an annual family income between ₹1 lakh and ₹1.80 lakh, with 222,562 women identified there. It is followed by Sonipat (118,878 women), Panipat (109,424 women), Karnal (105,717 women), and Palwal (101,652 women), who will also come under the scheme’s ambit. Meanwhile, 92,017 women have been identified in Gurugram, 77,605 in Yamunanagar, 73,152 in Jind, 69,760 in Nuh, 69,397 in Sirsa, and 67,513 in Jhajjar. There are 67,177 beneficiaries in Hisar, 66,518 in Kaithal, and 66,014 in Bhiwani. The lowest number is in Charkhi Dadri, with 24,159 beneficiaries. Additionally, 27,809 women have been identified in Hansi and 37,472 in Panchkula.
Attempt To Leverage The ‘Lado Lakshmi Yojana’ For Punjab Politics
Haryana’s ‘Lado Lakshmi Yojana’ appears to be emerging as an issue in Punjab’s electoral politics as well. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s presence at approximately 90 events in Punjab over the last 11 months, combined with the expansion of the scheme’s scope, is being viewed as part of a political strategy. In Haryana, eligible women with an annual family income of up to ₹1.80 lakh will now receive ₹2,100 per month.
The BJP views this as an opportunity to convey its message to the women of Punjab. The party may draw comparisons between Haryana’s ₹2,100 assistance and the schemes in Punjab. However, the eligibility criteria for the schemes differ; Punjab’s scheme has a much broader scope, whereas Haryana’s scheme includes conditions regarding income and age. Consequently, the electoral impact of the scheme will depend on how effectively the BJP can turn it into a political issue in Punjab.
