Assam govt transfers Rs 9,000 each to 40 lakh women beneficiaries

Guwahati: The government in poll-bound Assam on Tuesday distributed ₹9,000 to about 4 million beneficiaries, totalling ₹3,600 crore, under the Orunodoi scheme in the largest direct benefit transfer ever in the state.

The Orunodoi scheme is a welfare programme aimed at women where the state pays ₹1,250 a month to each beneficiary.

The money transferred Tuesday comprised the instalments for the first four months of 2026 and a special festival pay-out for Rongali Bihu, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.


The spring festival is celebrated in the second week of April. Assembly elections are also expected to take place in the same month. If the BJP retained power after the election, the government would expand the coverage of the scheme to all eligible women in the state, increase the pay-out as well as make arrangements for free distribution of sugar, salt, dal and mustard oil, Sarma said while inaugurating the fund transfer. "I also want more under the scheme. Probably later, we may also be able to give you half a kg of tea leaves per month free," he said.

Appealing to people to bring back the BJP for a third consecutive term, he said the government started the Orunodoi scheme in 2020 during the Covid period, giving ₹830 per month to 1.8 million women. The coverage has now reached 4 million while the pay-out has been increased to ₹1,250 a month, he said.

Referring to the central government announcement on building 50 million houses under the PM Awas Yojana, Sarma said he would request the Prime Minister to make some entitlement for Assam so that the benefits reached all the needy in the state.