Archive · 10 Dec 2025
India's Unconditional Cash Transfers to Women
In India, there's a special program where the government gives money to women every month.
This money is meant to help them buy food, send their kids to school, and take care of other important things.
The program started in Goa in 2013 and has since spread to many other states.
The amount of money given is between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,500 each month.
Over 300 million women in India have bank accounts and can receive this money directly.
This program is one of the biggest in the world and helps women who do a lot of unpaid work at home.
However, not all women are able to get this money because of problems with documents or because they don't need the help.
Politicians also use this program to get more votes from women.
India's unconditional cash transfer scheme for women was launched in Goa in 2013 and has since expanded to 12 states.
The scheme provides monthly transfers of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500 to help with nutritious food, education, and other essential needs.
Over 300 million Indian women with bank accounts are eligible, with 118 million currently receiving benefits.
Women perform three-quarters of unpaid care work globally, with Indian women working 201 days annually compared to men's 63 days.
Political parties use the scheme to garner support from women voters, as seen in the Bihar Assembly elections where 7.5 million women received Rs 10,000 each.
- Who
- Indian women, particularly from economically marginalized sections
- What
- Unconditional cash transfers to women for unpaid household work
- When
- Scheme launched in 2013, expanded during Covid-19 crisis in 2020
- Where
- Across India, with specific examples from Goa, Assam, West Bengal, and Maharashtra
- Why
- To improve health and education for children from lower strata, and to garner political support from women voters
- Scheme Launch
- 2013 in Goa
- Monthly Transfer Amount
- Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500
- Beneficiaries
- Over 300 million Indian women with bank accounts
- Current Recipients
- 118 million adult women from 12 states
- Women's Unpaid Work Days
- 201 days annually
- Men's Unpaid Work Days
- 63 days annually
- West Bengal Account Handling
- 90% of women handle their own accounts
- Maharashtra Registration Issues
- 30% of women failed to register due to documentation or self-sufficiency