Himachal Pradesh promised this scheme to every woman in the state. Over two years later, it’s still being switched on one district at a time.
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Indian Society · IndSoc0071
Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh-Samman Nidhi
Himachal Pradesh’s Cash-Transfer Scheme for Women
25 Feb 2024
Scheme launches, first in Lahaul & Spiti.
6 Mar 2024
CM Sukhu confirms Rs 1,500/month, statewide.
16 Apr 2025
Pangi valley gets its first payments.
16 Apr 2026
Kinnaur added, still not covering all state.
Two Years, Still Rolling Out
Announced as an election guarantee in early 2024, this scheme still hasn’t reached every district by 2026. Remote, high-altitude areas came first — tight state finances have kept the rollout slow.
Timeline
- 25 February 2024: Himachal Pradesh launches the scheme, first in Lahaul & Spiti.
- 6 March 2024: CM Sukhu announces the statewide payout, raised to Rs 1,500 a month.
- 16 April 2025: Chamba’s Pangi valley gets its first payments, a full year later.
- 16 April 2026: Kinnaur is added, still not covering the whole state.
Must Know
- Indira Gandhi Pyari Behna Sukh-Samman Nidhi Yojana is Himachal Pradesh’s monthly cash scheme, for women.
- It launched on 25 February 2024, under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.
- Eligible women receive Rs 1,500 a month, credited directly to their bank account.
- It fulfilled a 2022 Congress election promise, called the party’s “fourth guarantee.”
- The scheme is rolling out district by district, not statewide at once.
Good to Know
- The scheme first covered Lahaul & Spiti, a remote tribal district, effective 1 February 2024.
- The Congress government raised the promised amount, from Rs 1,100 to Rs 1,500 a month.
- Once complete, the scheme aims to reach about 2.42 lakh women statewide.
- Its projected annual cost is about Rs 800 crore, once fully rolled out.
- Coverage later expanded to include domestic workers, alongside other eligible women.
- See the full directory of every state’s cash-transfer scheme for women.
Test Yourself
Great to Know
- Himachal Pradesh’s Congress government took office in December 2022, under CM Sukhu.
- The scheme’s slow rollout reflects the state’s tight finances, amid a wider fiscal squeeze.
- Himachal Pradesh has also deferred salary hikes and delayed other dues, in the same period.
- Remote, high-altitude districts were prioritised first, ahead of larger, wealthier ones.
- As of April 2026, several districts still await their first payment under the scheme.
Current Affairs
- April 2026: Kinnaur becomes the latest district added to the scheme.
- On 16 April 2026, at a Himachal Day event in Kinnaur, CM Sukhu extended the scheme there. (Source: The Tribune)
- Eligible Kinnaur women must be aged 21 or above, with annual family income under Rs 2 lakh. (Source: The Tribune)
- April 2025: Chamba’s Pangi valley receives its first payments, in advance.
- On 16 April 2025, the CM released three months’ payment at once, Rs 4,500, to 1,926 women. (Source: The Tribune)
- He also announced wider eligibility, adding women turning 21 by March 2026, and domestic workers. (Source: The Tribune)
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