Chhattisgarh's Mahtari Vandan Yojana, a cash-transfer scheme for married women, was launched on what date?

1 March 2024. Mahtari Vandan Yojana was launched on 1 March 2024, under Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai's BJP government. The first installment followed on 10 March 2024. Read more: IndSoc0065 — Mahtari Vandan Yojana: Chhattisgarh's Cash-Transfer Scheme for Women.

Mahtari Vandan Yojana pays eligible women a fixed amount, every month. How much?

Rs 1,000. The scheme pays Rs 1,000 a month (Rs 12,000 a year) to eligible married women, via Direct Benefit Transfer. Unlike many similar schemes, it pays out every month, not twice a year. Read more: IndSoc0065 — Mahtari Vandan Yojana: Chhattisgarh's Cash-Transfer Scheme for Women.

Who was sworn in as Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister on 13 December 2023, succeeding Bhupesh Baghel?

Vishnu Deo Sai. Vishnu Deo Sai was sworn in as Chief Minister on 13 December 2023, becoming Chhattisgarh's first tribal Chief Minister from the BJP, after the party's state election win. Read more: IndSoc0065 — Mahtari Vandan Yojana: Chhattisgarh's Cash-Transfer Scheme for Women.

Besides married women, which other groups are eligible for Mahtari Vandan Yojana?

Widows, divorced, and deserted women. Widows, divorced, and deserted women are also eligible, alongside married women aged 21 or above, as long as family income is under Rs 2.5 lakh a year. Read more: IndSoc0065 — Mahtari Vandan Yojana: Chhattisgarh's Cash-Transfer Scheme for Women.

By the scheme's 26th installment, released 6 April 2026, how much had each active beneficiary cumulatively received?

Rs 26,000. By April 2026, each active beneficiary had received a cumulative Rs 26,000 since the scheme's March 2024 launch, with that month's installment alone transferring Rs 641.62 crore to 68.48 lakh women. Read more: IndSoc0065 — Mahtari Vandan Yojana: Chhattisgarh's Cash-Transfer Scheme for Women.

Mahtari Vandan Yojana: Chhattisgarh’s Cash-Transfer Scheme for Women

Chhattisgarh’s new government launched Mahtari Vandan Yojana within three months of taking office. Two years on, it still reaches about 68 lakh women. Unlike many such schemes, it pays every single month.

At a Glance

Four facts to hold on to.

Launched

1 March 2024, under CM Vishnu Deo Sai.

Amount

₹1,000 a month (₹12,000 a year).

Who

Married women aged 21+, also widows, divorced and deserted women.

Reach

About 68 lakh women, all 33 districts.

MahtariMeans “mother” in Chhattisgarhi; the name of the women’s scheme.

VandanMeans “salute” or “respect”.

e-KYCOnline identity check.

DBTDirect Benefit Transfer.

In this lesson

Launch and Rates
Schedule, Administration and Budget
A First Tribal CM and a Fast Launch
Current Affairs

Launch and Rates

Must Know

Basics

Mahtari Vandan Yojana is Chhattisgarh’s cash-transfer scheme for women.
CM Vishnu Deo Sai’s BJP government launched it on 1 March 2024.
It pays ₹1,000 a month, which is ₹12,000 a year, by Direct Benefit Transfer.

Eligibility

Married women aged 21 or above as of 1 January 2024.
Widows, divorced and deserted women are eligible too.
Family income must be below ₹2.5 lakh a year.

True or False: Mahtari Vandan Yojana pays ₹1,000 a month to eligible women.

Schedule, Administration and Budget

Good to Know

Monthly, not twice a year

Many similar schemes pay in lumps, such as Subhadra Yojana.
Mahtari Vandan pays every month.

Recent instalments

The 24th instalment came on 30 January 2026: ₹641.34 crore to 68,39,592 women.
The 25th came on 8 March 2026, International Women’s Day, reaching more than 69 lakh women.
The 26th came on 6 April 2026: ₹641.62 crore to 68,48,899 women across all 33 districts.
By August 2026 the 29th instalment sent ₹626.25 crore to over 66 lakh women, just before Rakshabandhan.

Who runs it

The Women and Child Development Department handles registration, verification and payment.
The scheme covers all 33 districts.

Money

By April 2026, each active beneficiary had received ₹26,000 in total.
The 2026-27 budget rose to about ₹8,200 crore.

Scheme	Pattern	Amount
Mahtari Vandan (Chhattisgarh)	Monthly	₹1,000
Subhadra (Odisha)	Twice a year	₹5,000 each time
Ladli Behna (MP)	Monthly	₹1,500 now

True or False: Mahtari Vandan Yojana pays beneficiaries in two instalments a year.

A First Tribal CM and a Fast Launch

Great to Know

Political background

Vishnu Deo Sai was sworn in on 13 December 2023.
He is Chhattisgarh’s first tribal CM from the BJP.
He succeeded Bhupesh Baghel of the Congress, who lost the 2023 election.
See the tribal-welfare background in Tribal Groups and Welfare in India.

Quick rollout

The scheme launched less than three months after the government took office.
The first instalment moved on 10 March 2024, with PM Modi joining virtually.
This echoes Ladli Behna Yojana in Madhya Pradesh.

Verification

The 26th instalment came on 6 April 2026, reaching about 68 lakh women.
An e-KYC drive ran from 3 April to 30 June 2026.
Women who did not comply lost further payments.
Maharashtra ran a bigger drive: Ladki Bahin Yojana.

Think it through: why start a cash scheme so soon after taking office?

Cash transfers were an election promise. Launching quickly shows the promise was kept. It also builds goodwill early, which can matter for the next election. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra followed the same pattern.

True or False: Vishnu Deo Sai is Chhattisgarh’s first tribal Chief Minister from the BJP.

Current Affairs

Latest position

The 26th monthly instalment was released on 6 April 2026.
An e-KYC drive ran from 3 April to 30 June 2026.
The 2026-27 budget is about ₹8,200 crore.
The 29th instalment, in August 2026, paid over 66 lakh women.

True or False: An e-KYC verification drive for Mahtari Vandan ran from 3 April to 30 June 2026.

Quick Q&A

Launched?

1 March 2024.

Amount?

₹1,000 a month.

CM?

Vishnu Deo Sai.

Districts?

All 33.

e-KYC drive?

3 April to 30 June 2026.

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