Haryana Govt Expands Lado Lakshmi Scheme, Raises Income Ceiling to ₹1.8 Lakh

The Haryana Government has expanded the scope of its flagship women empowerment initiative, the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Scheme, by raising the annual family income ceiling to ₹1.80 lakh and adding education- and nutrition-linked eligibility criteria.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Haryana Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who said the amendments aim to transform the scheme from a cash assistance programme into a holistic, outcome-oriented welfare initiative aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

New beneficiary categories

Under the expanded framework, the following additional categories of women will now be eligible, subject to the ₹1.8 lakh annual income limit as per the Family Information Data Repository (FIDR):

• Mothers of government school students securing over 80% marks in Class X or XII Mothers of children achieving grade-level competency under the NIPUN Bharat Mission (Classes I–IV)
• Mothers who have successfully rehabilitated children from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) or Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM)

Officials said the revised criteria integrate social development indicators with financial support to encourage education, child nutrition, and long-term household stability. Assistance structure remains, savings element strengthened 

The monthly financial assistance of ₹2,100 per eligible woman will continue. However, from the second month onwards, the amount will be split into two components:

• ₹1,100 credited directly to the beneficiary’s savings bank account
• ₹1,000 deposited in a government-operated Recurring Deposit (RD) or Fixed Deposit (FD)
• The accumulated savings will be paid to the beneficiary upon maturity. The tenure of the RD/FD, to be decided by the government, will not exceed five years.

Eligibility safeguards

To align the scheme with sustainable socio-economic goals and family-size considerations, the government clarified that mothers with more than three children will not be eligible under the scheme.

Social and political importance

One of the BJP's main pre-election pledges prior to the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections was the Lado Lakshmi Scheme, which is largely credited with helping the party win a third term in a row.The program was intended for women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who are between the ages of 23 and 60.More than 10 lakh women have already registered under the programme.

Officials said the latest expansion is intended to deepen the scheme’s long-term impact by linking financial assistance with education outcomes, nutrition improvement, and savings behaviour, rather than limiting it to direct cash transfers.