Critics argue that a significant number of eligible women are still unable to access benefits due to procedural hurdles, sources said.

Haryana Govt Reviews Lado Lakshmi Yojana Eligibility Amid Opposition Backlash

The Haryana government has decided to put the eligibility criteria of the Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana under review after persistent criticism from the Opposition on the scheme's conditions being too restrictive and the application process being overly complicated. 

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that feedback from the ground during the early implementation of any major welfare initiative is critical to ensure it benefits the genuinely needy. He said that the government has directed the Social Justice & Empowerment and SEWA departments to conduct a detailed review of the initial launch, applications received, and public feedback. “If it is found that any criterion is depriving genuinely needy beneficiaries, the government will not hesitate to revisit and revise it,” Saini added.

The Lado Lakshmi Yojana scheme was launched in September 2025, which aims to empower women financially by providing INR 2,100 per month to eligible beneficiaries. Originally, the monthly assistance was targeted at women with an annual family income below INR 1 lakh and with a Haryana domicile, and only women between the ages of 23 and 60 were eligible.

The government has recently extended the benefit to an additional 1.20 lakh women under three new categories, raising the income threshold to INR 1.80 lakh for these groups. Additional Chief Secretary (SEWA) G. Anupama told reporters that the expanded criteria focus on aligning social assistance with broader development goals, including educational attainment and nutritional improvements among children.

However, continuous pressure from the Opposition claims that eligibility terms are limiting the scheme’s reach despite its stated intent to uplift economically weaker women. Critics argue that a significant number of eligible women are still unable to access benefits due to procedural hurdles, sources said.

Officials said that approximately 8.5 lakh women are currently receiving the benefit, drawn from an estimated pool of nearly 10 lakh potential beneficiaries identified through the Parivar Pehchan Patra database.

Source: The Tribune