Assam's Orunodoi 3.0 To Cover 37 Lakh Women With Monthly Aid

The Assam government has resumed monthly financial assistance under the Orunodoi 3.0 scheme, extending benefits to more than 37 lakh women across the state. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday described the rollout as the first major budget announcement to be implemented and the first flagship welfare programme launched after the BJP-led government returned to power following the Assembly elections held in May. He said the initiative reflects the government's continued focus on strengthening social welfare and financial security for economically weaker households.

Speaking about the revamped scheme, Sarma said Orunodoi has evolved from a welfare initiative into a comprehensive social security framework aimed at empowering women while promoting financial inclusion. He noted that the latest phase introduces several reforms to improve transparency, accessibility and service delivery. Among the key changes is Aadhaar-based beneficiary verification, which is intended to ensure that financial assistance reaches genuine recipients while eliminating duplication and irregularities in the system.

To improve implementation at the grassroots level, the government will deploy dedicated "Orunodoi Sarathis" in every Assembly constituency. These personnel will assist beneficiaries with enrolment, grievance redressal and other scheme-related services. The Chief Minister said the initiative is designed to strengthen last-mile delivery and make it easier for eligible women to access benefits and resolve issues without unnecessary delays.

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Sarma also announced that the government plans to gradually enhance the financial assistance provided under the scheme, in line with commitments made to beneficiaries. In addition, the state plans to introduce an interest-free micro-credit facility under which eligible women will be able to avail loans of up to Rs 15,000 annually against their future Orunodoi entitlement. The repayment amount will be adjusted from future monthly assistance, while beneficiaries opting for bank loans will also be able to repay through deductions from their monthly benefits under a similar mechanism.

Launched in 2020, the Orunodoi scheme is the Assam government's flagship direct benefit transfer (DBT) programme aimed at supporting women from low-income families with monthly financial assistance to help meet essential household expenses. The state government said it remains committed to expanding and strengthening the programme to make it more accessible, responsive and effective in improving the socio-economic well-being of women and vulnerable families across Assam.

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