Haryana joins cash handout trend for women, unveils scheme in FY26 Budget
This story was originally published at 07:33 IST on 18 March 2025
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By Krity Ambey
NEW DELHI – Haryana's 'Lado Laxmi Yojana', announced in the state Budget for 2025-26 (Apr-Mar), is the new addition to the growing list of cash-handout schemes for women rolled out by various states across India, including Maharashtra's 'Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana', Jharkhand's 'Maiya Samman Yojana', West Bengal's 'Lakhmir Bhandar'.
Haryana's Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who also holds the finance portfolio, on Monday announced an allocation of INR 50 billion for the 'Lado Laxmi Yojana' in FY26. Under the scheme, the state government will provide financial assistance of INR 2,100 per month to women, Saini said.
The scheme was one of the Bharatiya Janata Party's poll promises last year. The party had formed government in the state for the third consecutive time after registering a historic victory in the Assembly elections held in October 2024.
With the rollout of the new cash handout scheme for women, Haryana's budgetary allocation for social welfare is set to jump 28% to INR 166.51 billion in FY26, Saini said. The state also raised the allocation for women and child development by 36.1% to INR 13.72 billion in FY26 from INR 10.08 billion in the revised estmate for current year, Saini added.
In his budget speech, Saini also highlighted 38 farm-related measures in the FY26 Budget, including a hike in various subsidies for farmers. "Under the 'Mera Pani Meri Virasat Yojana,' I propose to increase the subsidy for farmers who give up paddy cultivation from (INR) 7,000 per acre to (INR) 8,000 per acre," Saini said. The state has also raised subsidy for purchasing indigenous cows to INR 30,000 from INR 25,000, the minister said.
It has increased the allocation for the agriculture and farmers' welfare department by 19.2 % to INR 42.30 billion, for the horticulture department by 95.50% to INR 10.69 billion, and for the animal husbandry department by 50.9% to INR 20.83 billion, Saini said.
Another significant hike in Haryana's FY26 budgetary allocation can be seen in the outlay for housing schemes— the Mukhyamantri Shahri Awas Yojana and the Mukhyamantri Gramin Awas Yojana. The state government has quadrupled the allocation to INR 24.44 billion in FY26 for the housing schemes, under which it provides plots to eligible beneficiaries.
Saini pegged Haryana's fiscal deficit for FY26 at 2.67% of the gross state domestic product. The state Budget has also lowered the fiscal deficit for the current financial year to 2.68% of GSDP from 2.77% budgeted last year, according to the the budget document updated late on Monday.
The fiscal deficit for this year is within the limit of 3.5% of GDSP set by the Centre for states. In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit for FY26 is pegged at INR 359.95 billion, higher than INR 325.56 billion estimated for the current fiscal year.
The state's total spending in FY26 is expected to rise to INR 1.69 trillion from the revised estimate of INR 1.47 trillion for the current fiscal year. Revenue expenditure for next year is pegged at INR 1.48 trillion, up 13.8% from the revised estimate of INR 1.30 trillion.
The Budget pegged capital spending in FY26 at INR 208.12 billion, 29% higher than the current year's revised estimate of INR 160.97 billion. The state had spent INR 199.76 billion on capital expenditure in FY24.
Revenue receipts in FY26 are projected at INR 1.28 trillion, higher than the revised estimate of INR 1.13 trillion for this year. The state government expects to earn INR 921.44 billion from its own tax revenue in the next fiscal year. Haryana also expects to receive INR 155.47 billion as a share of taxes from the Centre, and another INR 97.92 billion as grants-in-aid.
The state aims to raise INR 359.95 billion through borrowings and other liabilities in FY26. It expects to borrow INR 325.56 billion in the current financial year. End
Edited by Avishek Dutta
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