Assam launches ‘Orunodoi 3.0’, expanding financial aid to 38 lakh families

The Assam government has rolled out the third phase of its flagship welfare scheme, Orunodoi 3.0, marking what Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described as the state’s largest and most comprehensive poverty alleviation initiative to date.

Under the revamped phase, over 38 lakh families across Assam will now receive Rs 1,250 per month, with an additional Rs 250 earmarked for LPG cylinder purchases, taking the monthly support to Rs 1,500 for each beneficiary household.

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“Since its inception, Orunodoi has transformed lives by helping countless families rise above poverty and live with dignity. With Orunodoi 3.0, we are reinforcing our commitment to ensure that no economically weaker family is left behind,” Sarma said, while launching the scheme in Guwahati. He also hinted at a “special surprise” announcement in February related to the programme.

Launched initially in December 2020, Orunodoi was conceived as a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism to empower women from low-income households by providing monthly financial assistance directly into their bank accounts. The first phase covered around 17 lakh families, which expanded to 26 lakh under Orunodoi 2.0 in 2022. The new phase, 3.0, now extends the net to nearly 38 lakh families, encompassing both rural and urban poor.

The scheme prioritises women as the primary beneficiaries, recognising them as central to household management and financial decision-making. Funds are credited to the bank accounts of female heads of families to promote financial inclusion and women’s empowerment.

Sarma also highlighted that Orunodoi forms part of a broader welfare ecosystem, which includes free rice distribution, subsidised pulses and LPG cylinders, free education for girls, and Ayushman Bharat-style free healthcare. “#Orunodoi3 provides a comprehensive support net aligned with the principle of Antyodaya—uplifting the poorest first,” Sarma wrote in a post on X.

Officials said that beneficiaries under Orunodoi 3.0 have been verified through a digital process to ensure transparency and prevent duplication. The government aims to make the scheme self-sustaining through periodic reviews and technology-backed beneficiary tracking.

The state government projects that the scheme will inject over Rs 5,700 crore annually into Assam’s rural economy, directly benefiting women and strengthening grassroots economic resilience.