The Dhanalakshmi scheme was launched on March 3, 2008, by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, as a pioneering conditional cash transfer scheme addressing critical social issues affecting the girl child. The scheme aimed at girl child infanticide, child marriage, and gender discrimination by offering families financial incentives for registering their daughters, ensuring their education, and postponing marriage till the age of 18.
Dhanlaxmi Yojana was launched as a pilot project in 11 backward blocks across 7 states with the lowest child sex ratios, including Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh. This article provides an overview of the Dhanalakshmi Scheme: its aim, eligibility criteria, benefits, how to apply, and its long-lasting impact on the welfare of the girl child in India.
Key Takeaways
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The scheme aimed at promoting girl child survival, education, and delay in marriage.
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Financial Benefit of up to ₹1.12 lakh through milestone incentives and insurance.
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Coverage includes 11 blocks across seven states with low child sex ratios.
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It was discontinued in 2018 after pilot completion.
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Successors: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana continue similar goals.
What Is The Dhanalakshmi Scheme?
The Dhanalakshmi Yojana scheme was a government welfare program aimed at instilling a mindset among people to value the lives of girl children. It was a conditional cash transfer mechanism in which families received monetary incentives at different milestones in a girl child's life, from birth through education, up to 18 years of age.
Key Features Included:
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The insurance component of ₹1,00,000, handled by LIC of India, payable when the girl turns 18 and remains unmarried.
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Cash benefits linked to birth registration, immunisation, and schooling.
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The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism ensures that funds were deposited into the mother’s bank account.
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What Are The Objectives And Purpose Of The Dhanalakshmi Scheme?
The objective of the Dhanalakshmi scheme was multi-dimensional and addressed both the issues of immediate survival and long-term empowerment:
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Creating positive attitudes towards the birth and upbringing of girl children in communities, where female infanticide was prevalent
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Encouraging families to invest in educating girls on the same level as having a son through milestone-based educational incentives
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Preventing female infanticide by giving economic rewards
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Stopping child marriage.
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Empowering women with economic independence by giving direct benefit transfers to mothers' bank accounts
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What Is The Eligibility For The Dhanalakshmi Scheme?
The Dhanlaxmi Yojana criteria has been made inclusive while targeting the vulnerable population:
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All female children born after 8th November 2008 were eligible after registration of birth.
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Enrolment in the government's immunisation programme was conditional on healthcare incentives.
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Indian citizenship and residence in one of 11 backward blocks in seven participating states.
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All girl children in a household, irrespective of the number of daughters.
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School enrolment and continuing education till Class 8 level at least to avail educational incentive.
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Benefits Of The Dhanalakshmi Scheme
The Dhanalakshmi Yojana benefits were designed to encourage parents to support their daughters through every key milestone of life. Key benefits included:
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Milestone-based cash transfers linked to key stages such as birth registration, immunisation, and school enrolment.
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Conditional financial incentives were provided only when the family fulfilled specific requirements like regular school attendance and continued education.
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The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism ensures that all payments were made directly to the mother’s bank account, promoting transparency and financial inclusion.
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Comprehensive insurance cover of ₹1,00,000 offered by LIC of India to the girl child, payable at the age of 18 years if she remains unmarried.
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Cumulative potential benefit of ₹1,12,000 per eligible girl child, combining both cash incentives and insurance protection.
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Promotion of girl child empowerment through sustained financial assistance, encouraging education and health awareness within families.
Also, check out Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana here.
Financial Assistance Breakdown Of Dhanalakshmi Scheme
The Dhanalakshmi scheme amount structure provided milestone-based financial support:
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Milestone |
Amount |
Conditions |
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At Birth |
₹5,000 |
Registration within the prescribed period |
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Immunisation (6 weeks - 24 months) |
₹1,250 |
Complete immunisation schedule |
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School Enrolment |
₹1,000 |
Enrolment in Class 1 |
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Annual Support (Class 1-5) |
₹500/year |
Regular attendance and promotion |
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Annual Support (Class 6-8) |
₹750/year |
Regular attendance and promotion |
|
Insurance Maturity at Age 18 |
₹1,00,000 |
A girl remains unmarried till 18 years |
|
Total Potential Benefit |
₹1,12,000 |
All conditions met |
This structured girl child benefit approach ensured continuous engagement with the scheme throughout the girl's formative years.
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What Are The Documents Required For The Dhanalakshmi Scheme?
Essential identification and verification materials included in documents for the Dhanalakshmi scheme were as follows:
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Birth certificate of the girl child issued within the prescribed period of registration.
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Bank account details, preferably in the mother's name, for direct benefit transfer.
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Aadhaar card for parents/guardians' identity verification.
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Household proof to claim Below Poverty Line, where applicable.
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Domicile Certificate to establish state/district residency.
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Passport-size photographs of the girl child and parents.
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Immunisation records from the Anganwadi centre or the Government Health Facility.
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School enrolment certificate to avail educational incentives.
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How To Apply For The Dhanalakshmi Scheme Online?
Although the scheme is currently discontinued, the process of the Dhanalakshmi scheme online apply during its operational years featured:
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Go to the official website of the Women and Child Development Department.
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Select ‘Apply for Dhanalakshmi Scheme’ from the welfare schemes section.
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Enter the details of the girl child and her parents or guardians in the application form.
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Upload the necessary Dhanalakshmi Scheme documents listed below.
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Finally, submit the form and save the reference number for future use.
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How To Track Dhanalakshmi Scheme Application Status? [H2]
The Dhanalakshmi Scheme is no longer active and has been officially discontinued. As a result, there is no dedicated online portal available for the Dhanalakshmi scheme status check for new beneficiaries.
For existing beneficiaries or those under similar state-level initiatives, the following steps may help track the scheme status:
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Contact the Implementing Authority
Reach out to the District Social Welfare Officer or Extension Officer (Social Welfare) in your district. The scheme was previously managed by the Ministry or Department of Women and Child Development at both the central and state levels.
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Check with the Bank/Post Office
Since benefits were transferred directly to the beneficiary’s or mother’s account, check recent bank or post office statements or visit the respective branch for verification.
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Review Scheme Documentation
Use the application or reference number provided during registration, along with the implementing office details, to make offline inquiries about past benefits.
Check out How to Apply for Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana? here.
Key Features And Highlights Of Dhanalakshmi Scheme
The main features of Dhanalakshmi Yojana that make it different from other welfare schemes are:
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Pioneered Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to Bank accounts in mothers' names
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Milestone-based conditional support instead of lump sum payments
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Insurance component of 1 Lakh at 18 years old for child marriage prevention
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Integration with the immunisation programme ensured healthcare benefits
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Emphasis on student study enrolment and retention through yearly incentives
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The key features of Dhanalakshmi Yojana were transparency through digital payments
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Universal coverage in blocks based on eligibility, with no restriction on the number of girl children in a family
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Early adoption of technology for the implementation of social welfare
Comparison: Dhanalakshmi Scheme Vs. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao
Understanding the Dhanalakshmi scheme vs Beti Bachao Beti Padhao helps contextualise different approaches:
|
Aspect |
Dhanalakshmi Scheme |
Beti Bachao Beti Padhao |
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Launch Year |
2008 |
2015 |
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Coverage |
11 blocks in 7 states |
Nationwide |
|
Approach |
Direct cash transfers |
Advocacy campaigns |
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Benefits |
₹1,12,000 per beneficiary |
No direct cash |
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Target |
Individual girl children |
Community change |
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Status |
Discontinued in 2018 |
Active in 2025 |
Both schemes address female infanticide and child marriage, but through different mechanisms.
Impact and Implications of Dhanalakshmi Scheme
The Dhanalakshmi scheme's impact was significant despite being limited in scope. According to government data, the government allocated a total of ₹10 crore under the scheme, of which ₹5.95 crore was utilised in its first year, benefiting around 5,000 families.
The Dhanalakshmi Scheme created a measurable social impact by challenging son-preference norms and promoting gender equality. Despite challenges such as limited coverage, funding delays, and low awareness, the initiative encouraged birth registration for girls, improved immunisation, and school enrolment. It provided key policy lessons for future girl-child welfare programmes.
Conclusion
The Dhanalakshmi scheme online was a revolutionary way to combat gender discrimination through economic empowerment. Though the Dhanalakshmi Scheme was discontinued in 2018, it had a lasting impact by demonstrating that conditional cash transfers could shift patriarchal norms.
Families keen to see what the government is currently doing to support girl children should look into active government schemes for girls, such as Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, which continue the mission of empowering India's daughters.
