Ladli Behna Yojana: Age, eligibility and Madhya Pradesh government's hike in financial aid

Ladli Behna Yojana is a pioneering initiative by the Madhya Pradesh government for the young women, especially those who come from an underprivileged background. It has been playing a crucial role in women's empowerment by helping women at an early age by providing financial assistance.

Recently, the scheme has received a lot of attention as the Madhya Pradesh government announced a hike on the allowances offered to beneficiaires. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday, August 27, announced that the government has decided to raise the monthly allowance amount from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,250.

What is Ladli Behna Yojana?

Ladli Behna Yojana was launched on March 5, 2023, and basically focuses on empowering young women and driving them towards a better future. The scheme has been designed to provide a comprehensive support system that assists in the overall development of a female child. Financial assistance is provided to underprivileged women from the backward sections of the society in the form of a lump sum amount that is transferred to them at different stages in their lives. These funds can be used for higher studies or even covering marriage expenses.

Although the scheme helps women in different ways, it also emphasises on promoting education. The initiative urges parents to invest in their daughter's education and promises to provide incentives in such cases. Therefore, it serves as a powerful tool for economic transformation as well and opens doors for a better livelihood.

Eligibility criteria for Ladli Behna Yojana

The Ladli Behna Yojana scheme aims to target young women who come from economically weaker sections of the society. A woman will be eligible to the benefits of the Ladli Behna Yojana scheme if she is born in Madhya Pradesh and her family's income is below a specified threshold. All women in the age groups of 21 to 60 years are eligible for benefits under the scheme. The scheme is open to married, widowed and divorced women. The beneficiaries should not be income tax payers and the family income should be less than Rs 2.5 lakh per annum.