Bhubaneswar, Oct 19: The Odisha government has issued a fresh directive concerning eligibility under the Subhadra Scheme, stating that female students receiving more than ₹18,000 annually in scholarships or financial assistance from any central or state government scheme will be declared ineligible for Subhadra benefits.

The Department of Women and Child Welfare Development of Odisha has sought detailed reports from the Higher Education Department and the ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Department, asking for data on students who received over ₹18,000 in aid during the 2023–24 and 2024–25 financial years. The move follows multiple complaints regarding overlapping benefits and aims to streamline the scheme’s implementation.

As per the scheme’s guidelines, eligible beneficiaries must be between 21 and 60 years of age and should not be availing more than ₹18,000 annually from any other government initiative. The department clarified that even though scholarships are meant for educational purposes, they will be considered financial assistance when assessing eligibility.

Following the first state-level monitoring and review committee meeting on Subhadra, the department further announced that beneficiaries turning 60 years will be eligible to apply for old-age pensions under schemes like the Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY) and the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP). A formal communication has been sent to include former Subhadra beneficiaries under these pension schemes.