Page 2 - Welfare Schemes

Nitish Kumar doubles pay for school, health workers ahead of Bihar polls

Cooks, watchmen, instructors, ASHAs, Mamta workers see wage hikes in Bihar; ₹882 cr Janki Mandir plan to be launched August 8

Govt aiming to take number of 'Lakhpati Didis' to 20 mn by Aug 15: Chouhan

Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said 1.5 crore women have already become Lakhpati Didis in India and his ministry is aiming to take the figure to 2 crore by August 15. 'Lakhpati Didi' refers to a woman member of a Self-Help Group (SHG) who earns an income of Rs 1 lakh or more per year. Chouhan visited the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Directorate of Groundnut Research in Junagadh town of Gujarat, where he reviewed its activities and interacted with farmers and Lakhpati Didis of SHGs, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said in a release. In his address, Chouhan said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a resolve to make every woman a Lakhpati Didi. "Why should any woman remain poor? This campaign is being run across India. Till now, 1.5 crore women have already become Lakhpati Didis and my department is constantly taking steps to make 2 crore women Lakhpati Didis by August 15," he said. In Junagadh, there are women ...

Karnataka transporters strike over late dues; Anna Bhagya food supply hit

Transporters halt foodgrain movement across Karnataka over unpaid dues spanning six months; halting delivery of govt food scheme

Delhi 'Laadli Yojana' beneficiaries declined 60% in last 15 years: RTI

The number of people who took benefits under the Laadli Yojana in Delhi has decreased by about 60 per cent in the last 15 years, information shared by the government under the Right to Information Act has revealed. Laadli Yojana was started in the national capital on January 1, 2008, with the aim to empower young women and reduce gender inequality. According to the data provided to PTI-Bhasha by the government, the number of beneficiaries of the scheme was about 1.25 lakh in 2008-2009, which reduced to 53,000 in 2024-25. The Women and Child Development Department of the Delhi government, in response to an RTI application, said that since the launch of the scheme, till 2025, 13,52,564 girls have been registered. According to the information, while the number of beneficiaries was 1,26,965 in 2008-2009, in 2024-25, their number had fallen by almost 50 per cent to 53,001 a decrease by 58 per cent and the second lowest in the last five years. In 2019-2020, only 30,192 girls benefited

States to spend ₹1 trn on pre-poll sops to women in FY26: Crisil report

Top 18 states will spend Rs 1 lakh crore on pre-poll sops to women this fiscal, Crisil Ratings said on Thursday. States' spending on social sector schemes will be at an elevated 2 per cent of GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) in FY26 and is likely to impact capital expenditure, it added. The social sector spends used to be in the range of 1.4-1.6 per cent of GSDP between fiscals 2019 and 2024, and climbed up to 2 per cent last fiscal, the rating agency said. "This fiscal (FY26), the elevated spending will result in high revenue deficit, thereby limiting the flexibility of the states to undertake higher capital outlays," the agency said. The analysis includes 18 top states accounting for over 90 per cent of aggregate GSDP of all states, and added that social sector spends includes revenue expenditure for welfare of backward classes, women, children and labour, as well as assistance to certain demographics in the form of social security pensions. Its senior director Anuj Sethi sai

Social protection cover in India rises to over 64% in 2025, says ILO

India's social security coverage reaches 64.3 per cent in 2025, up from 19 per cent in 2015, as verified by ILO using new national-level data pooling by the Centre

Over 2,200 Ladki Bahin beneficiaries found to be govt employees: Minister

Maharashtra Minister Aditi Tatkare has said that more than 2,200 beneficiaries of the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana were found to be government employees during scrutiny. In a post on X on Friday, Tatkare said verification of beneficiaries will be a regular process. After scrutinising nearly 2 lakh applications, 2,289 government employees were found to be the beneficiaries of the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana. After realising this, such beneficiaries are not being given the benefit of the scheme, the Women and Child Development Minister said. Tatkare said the government is committed to ensuring that only eligible beneficiaries receive the benefits of the Ladki Bahin Yojana and will continue to scrutinise applications for this. Ahead of the November 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls, the Mahayuti government in the state launched the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana in August last year, under which eligible women in the age group of 21-65 years are entitled to a monthly ...

Yamuna rejuvenation, new e-buses top Delhi CM Rekha Gupta's 100-day report

CM Rekha Gupta said the government needs more time to implement its ₹2,500 monthly women's welfare scheme but highlighted progress on health, water, and infrastructure

Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana - A decade of insurance inclusion

PMSBY offers affordable accident insurance to India's vulnerable. With ₹20 premium and ₹2 lakh cover, it has transformed lives, settled 135,000 claims, and ensured inclusive insurance access

Caught in two schemes, 8 lakh women in Maharashtra lose ₹1k monthly support

Eight lakh women in Maharashtra lose ₹1,000 monthly aid under Ladki Bahin scheme after being found enrolled in another scheme, breaching ₹1,500 limit rule

Meghalaya govt to provide free electricity, petrol for retired HC judges

The Meghalaya Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to provide free electricity, mobile recharge and petrol to retired chief justice and judges of the state's high court, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said. The approval to the Retired Judges' Secretarial Assistant and Domestic Help Rules 2013 which include enhancement for electricity of up to 1000 units per month to be reimbursed, mobile connectivity Rs 4,200 per month plus taxes and petrol expenses of 100 litres a month, Sangma told reporters after the Cabinet meeting. The Cabinet has also approved an amendment to the Meghalaya State Language Act 2005, making Khasi and Garo associate official languages for various exams to be conducted at the district level. The Cabinet also gave its nod to a law to protect the witnesses according to the new criminal laws - the BNS, BNSS & BSA. The chief minister said a complete mechanism has been included to protect witnesses as mandated under the Meghalaya Witness Protection Scheme, 2025. The

A decade on, 'Give It Up' campaign loses steam after a promising start

On March 27, 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the 'Give It Up' campaign at the 'Urja Sangam' global energy summit

Maiyan Samman Yojana in J'khand extended for non-Aadhaar beneficiaries

Beneficiaries who have not linked their bank accounts to Aadhaar will continue to get Jharkhand Mukhyamantri Maiyan Samman Yojana (JMMSY) assistance till March 31, an official said. A meeting of the state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren, decided to extend the deadline till March from December 31, she said. "The cabinet has approved a partial amendment in the implementation of the Maiyan Samman Yojana. Following this amendment, women applicants whose single bank accounts are not linked to Aadhaar will receive monetary assistance until March. After March, the amount will only be provided to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts," Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel said. The state government provides Rs 2,500 per month to women between 18 and 50 years under the JMMSY. Many beneficiaries were deprived of the assistance since January for failing to link their accounts with Aadhaar. The cabinet cleared a total of 16 proposals during the meeting. Among them was the Jharkhand Micro, S

Govt recovers Rs 416 cr from ineligible farmers under PM-KISAN: Centre

Chouhan, in a written reply, said the central government has disbursed over Rs 3.68 trillion to farmers in 19 installments since inception

Mahila Samriddhi Yojana to be implemented after Budget: Delhi BJP chief

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva on Thursday said the financial aid under the Mahila Samriddhi Yojna will be provided to women in the national capital after the budget is passed in the assembly. Sachdeva, who was responding to AAP's criticism over alleged delay in the scheme's implementation, said it was the Aam Aadmi Party that "misled" women in Delhi and Punjab by failing to deliver on the monthly allowance. "(Arvind) Kejriwal is well aware that the BJP government will ensure proper provisions in the 2025-26 budget to implement the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana. Once this happens, it will become impossible for him to mislead the women of Punjab any further," he said. The Aam Aadmi Party has been targeting the new BJP government over the implementation of the scheme since the latter formed the government in Delhi last month. The Delhi government will table its maiden budget on March 25 during the assembly's five-day budget session. Addressing a press conference earlier in the day,

Jubilant Foodworks, Maruti Suzuki take the lead in PM Internship Scheme

Maximum interns who have joined the scheme are from Uttar Pradesh (1,234) followed by Assam (994), Bihar (715) and Madhya Pradesh (693)

States show high per capita for growth, term 75% as BPL for subsidies: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said states showed a high per capita growth when asked to highlight the development index but claimed 75 per cent of their population was below poverty line when it came to subsidies. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh said the benefit of subsidies should reach the genuine beneficiaries. "Our concern is that are benefits meant for the genuinely poor persons percolating to those pockets who do not deserve it? Ration card has become a popularity card now," said Justice Surya Kant. The judge went on, "These states just say we have issued these many cards. There are some states who when they have to show their development they say our per capita income is growing. And then when we talk of BPL, they say 75 percent of the population is BPL. How can these facts be reconciled? The conflict is inherent. We have to ensure that benefits reach the genuine beneficiaries." The hearing related to a suo motu case initiated during the COVID19 pandemic

Telangana Budget 2025: ₹3 trn allocated with focus on welfare, development

Telangana Budget 2025 proposes ₹2,26,982 crore for revenue expenditure and ₹36,504 crore for capital expenditure

Telangana govt unveils Rs 3.05 trn budget with focus on welfare schemes

The Congress government in Telangana on Wednesday presented a budget of nearly Rs 3.05 lakh crore for 2025-26, with major allocations going for the welfare schemes. The budget estimates revenue expenditure of Rs 2,26,982 crore and capital expenditure of Rs 36,504 crore, said Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka who tabled the financial document in the state Assembly. "For the fiscal year 2025-26, I am proposing a total expenditure of Rs 3,04,965 crore, with revenue expenditure of Rs 2,26,982 crore and capital expenditure of Rs 36,504 crore," he said. The state government has proposed an allocation of Rs 24,439 crore for the Agriculture Department, including towards the Rythu Bharosa Scheme, under which each farmer receives Rs 12,000 per acre annually as investment support and an additional incentive of Rs 500 per quintal for fine variety paddy procured from farmers. Rs 31,605 crore has been earmarked for the Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Department, while Education

Six years on, has PM-Kisan lived up to its promise of farmer relief?

The programme, meant to give a helping hand to small farmers, is the world's largest direct benefit transfer scheme and unarguably the Modi-led government's most ambitious