Bhubaneswar, Jan 22: As many as 157 men had applied to avail the benefits of the Subhadra Yojana, a women-centric welfare scheme launched by the Government of Odisha, informed Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida on Wednesday.

“During the shorting process over the Subhadra Yojana, it was found that as many 157 men were found among the applicants seeking benefits under the scheme. This was revealed from the data on Aadhaar linkage to bank accounts. They might have applied by mistake. But those applications have been rejected,” the Deputy CM told reporters.

Parida, who also holds the Women and Child Welfare portfolio, also urged migrant women living outside the State to apply for the assistance under the Subhadra Yojana.

The Deputy CM said migrant women can apply online through the Subhadra portal or via Common Service Centers (CSCs) but they must be present in the state for the verification and biometric process.

Around 20 lakh women beneficiaries of Subhadra Yojana are set receive the money in their bank accounts during the fourth phase of disbursement this month, she added.

Earlier, the Mohan Majhi government disbursed Rs 5,000 each to around 80 lakh beneficiaries in three phases under its Subhadra Yojana.

The women-centric Subhadra Yojana was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday on September 17 last year.

Named after the sister of Lord Jagannath, Subhadra Yojana was a key promise in the BJP's election manifesto in Odisha. The scheme ensures financial assistance for eligible women aged 21-60 years, totaling Rs 50,000 over five years from 2024 to 2029.

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