Welfare Schemes

Cabinet extends social assistance scheme till FY31 with ₹53,428 cr outlay

The Cabinet has approved continuation of the National Social Assistance Programme for five years, with changes to disability pension eligibility and assistance rates

Best of Opinion: Global growth headline numbers mask vulnerabilities

From the IMF's global growth forecast and Navi Pillay's Nobel Peace Prize to India's climate needs, rising healthcare costs and the debate over welfare, today's opinions examine multiple challenges

Rights as freedoms, not freebies

This book opens up key debates on social policy - from mid-day meal schemes to maternity benefits and child development - and asks whether these initiatives foster dependency or empower people

Labour ministry plans higher medical reimbursement under welfare scheme

The proposed revamp would raise reimbursement limits for heart and kidney treatment, add dialysis coverage and introduce QR-enabled health cards and digital medical records

Freebie frenzy vs women's empowerment

Women enjoy handouts as much as the next person but their votes depend on meaningful political programmes

India state fiscal health: Telangana tops guarantees burden in FY25

Business Standard's India State Fiscal Health Tracker compares states and Union Territories on outstanding state guarantees as a share of GSDP. Here's what the FY25 Budget Estimates show

2,500 women get approval letters under Delhi Lakshmi Yojna, aid from Sep 1

Around 2,500 women in Delhi on Wednesday received approval letters under the Lakshmi Yojna to get Rs 2,500 monthly assistance from September 1. The approval letters were given at the Talkatora Stadium by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. Addressing the event, Gupta said women are focus of all schemes and programmes of the Delhi government. Women are like Goddess Lakshmi who strengthen the family and society, she said. Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra and Delhi cabinet ministers were present at the event. About 9,13,495 beneficiaries have been registered under the scheme, of whom 6,52,223 have submitted completed applications. From September 1, Rs 2,500 will be transferred every month directly into the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries. The government said the financial assistance is aimed at supporting women's everyday needs and providing them greater financial security. The government has also finalised the manner in whic

Delhi govt planning 'family card' to keep tabs on scheme beneficiaries

The Delhi government is planning to enact a 'Parivar Pehchan' legislation to formally introduce 'family cards' to ensure that benefits of its welfare schemes and programmes reach the genuine persons, officials said on Monday. The legislation will allow the government to create a database of Delhi residents, said a senior Delhi government officer. In July, the government announced its family card plan, with the primary objective of creating a unified database of all families in the city. The card will carry information of the cardholder's family members, birth and death details and whether they are availing benefits under any existing government scheme. The family card will be modelled on a similar 'Parivar Pehchan Patra' system introduced in Haryana. The 'Delhi Parivar Pehchan' legislation will provide the legal and administrative bases to implement these cards, officials said. Under the system proposed, each family would be issued a card in the name of the eldest female member o

Lakshmi Yojana sees over 147,000 registrations on day one: Delhi CM

Highlighting the strong public response, the Chief Minister said the number of registrations reflects the trust that women have placed in the welfare initiative

Welfare of citizens should be at heart of all reforms, says PM Modi

PM calls for convergence among youth-centric initiatives to tackle drug abuse

The welfare promise and the database challenge of cash transfer schemes

Can opaque database rationalisation derail the gains from women cash transfer schemes? Sanjeeb Mukherjee finds out

The 'freebie' myth: Are India's states really running out of money? | Welfare schemes

Are freebies pushing Indian states towards a debt crisis? The answer isn't as straightforward as it seems. In this video, we break down the data behind state finances,

Polygamy to invite welfare benefits bar, dismissal from service: Assam govt

The Assam budget on Friday proposed that persons practising polygamy will not be eligible for benefits under state-run welfare schemes, while government employees found guilty of the practice will face dismissal. Presenting his maiden Budget, state Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said welfare measures should not only reach the deserving but also enforce "inclusivity, integrity and moral ethos" in society. "Speaker Sir, in order to promote women's empowerment and gender justice, any male practising polygamy shall not be eligible to avail benefits under any government welfare scheme," Baruah said. The budget proposed amending the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964, to provide that any government servant found to have practised polygamy shall be liable for dismissal from service, in accordance with law. "To promote integrity and responsible citizenship, I propose that any person convicted of an offence under any criminal law shall not be eligible to avail benefit

From splurge to squeeze: Women's cash schemes face fiscal reality

Widening deficits force states to rationalise and cut back outlays, reduce beneficiaries

Improving cash transfers: Time to construct a firm policy framework for DBT

An EAC-PM study finds women's cash-transfer schemes improve savings and spending, but raises questions over their long-term fiscal sustainability

PM Modi hails 12 years of Garib Kalyan Yojana, highlights welfare gains

The Prime Minister also emphasised the role of technology, which has played a vital role in the Direct Benefit Transfer of governmental schemes towards the poor section of society

Bengal launches Annapurna Yojana, 2.8 mn women to receive aid in 1st phase

The West Bengal government on Wednesday launched the Annapurna Yojana for women and announced that 28.25 lakh beneficiaries will receive Rs 3,000 monthly aid in the first phase. Inaugurating the scheme, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that 28,25,769 verified beneficiaries had been enrolled on the dedicated portal over the past three days through a coordinated effort involving state officials, district administrations, block development offices, municipal bodies, elected representatives, and public participation. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantee and the double-engine government's commitment have ensured that the promise to provide the aid of Rs 3,000 has been implemented," he said. The chief minister said fresh applications would continue to be accepted and all eligible beneficiaries would be covered under the scheme after verification over the next three months. "As forms are received and verification is completed, Rs 3,000 will be transferred to the beneficiaries' ..

Kerala election results: UDF's welfare dreams amid fiscal headwinds

UDF's expansive welfare promises in Kerala face scrutiny as high debt, fiscal deficit and limited capital spending raise questions on sustainability

Why welfare remains central in Kerala's politics despite rising public debt

Rising debt and shrinking fiscal space have not weakened welfare politics in Kerala. Despite warnings from CAG and RBI, parties continue to rely on welfarism during elections

Census 2027 begins in Uttarakhand; Guv, CM enter info via self-enumeration

The first phase of 'Census 2027' formally began in Uttarakhand on Friday with Governor Lt Gen (retd) Gurmit Singh and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami registering their details digitally through the 'self-enumeration' facility. Under the program, house listing and house enumeration work has begun in the state. For the first time under 'Digital India', citizens have been given the opportunity to enter their information online before a census officer visits their homes. Officials said that this facility of self-enumeration will be available from April 10 to April 24 and after this, from April 25 to May 24, the census workers will go door to door to collect the data. On this occasion, the governor stated that the census is not merely a collection of data, but a cornerstone of the state's development. He appealed to citizens to actively participate in this important campaign through self-enumeration, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the data. The CM said that accurate census