Fri Jan 02 20:36:00 UTC 2026: Okay, here’s a summary of the text, followed by a rewritten version as a news article:
Summary:
The Haryana government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has modified its “Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana,” a financial aid scheme for women. The changes expand eligibility to women with higher annual incomes (up to ₹1.80 lakh), but introduce new criteria related to their children’s academic performance in government schools and success in rehabilitating children from malnutrition. The financial assistance will now be split, with part going directly to the beneficiary and part deposited in a long-term account. The opposition, led by the Congress party, strongly criticizes the changes, arguing they add unnecessary conditions, backtrack on promises, and humiliate women by tying their worth to their children’s achievements. They also claim the government is deliberately limiting the number of beneficiaries, pointing out a significant discrepancy between the number of people below the poverty line and the number of women receiving assistance.
News Article:
Haryana Government’s Women’s Aid Scheme Sparks Controversy with New Eligibility Requirements
GURUGRAM, January 3, 2026 – The Haryana government’s revised “Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana,” a financial assistance program for women, has ignited a political firestorm. While the changes expand the income eligibility to ₹1.80 lakh annually, the introduction of new criteria focusing on children’s academic performance and health has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties.
Under the amended scheme, women with children attending government schools who achieve high scores (80% or higher) in Class 10 or 12 board exams, or demonstrate grade-level competency under the NIPUN Bharat Mission (Classes 1-4), will be eligible. Mothers who successfully rehabilitate their children from severe or moderate acute malnutrition are also included.
The financial assistance distribution will also be altered. ₹1,100 will be directly deposited into the beneficiary’s savings account, while ₹1,000 will be placed in a government-managed recurring or fixed deposit account, maturing in up to five years.
The Congress party has slammed the amendments. Sirsa MP Kumari Selja condemned the new conditions, stating, “This policy does not reflect women’s empowerment, but rather a mindset aimed at humiliating women.” She argued the scheme was initially intended for empowerment without discrimination, and the new requirements tie a mother’s worth to her child’s report card.
Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda echoed these concerns. He questioned why, with an estimated 2.13 crore people in Haryana below the poverty line in 2024-25, the government is only focusing on providing assistance to a fraction of the eligible women and imposing restrictive conditions.
The government claims the expansion will benefit an additional one lakh women. Currently, over 10 lakh women have applied, with 8 lakh receiving assistance. The opposition, however, believes the new criteria are designed to artificially limit the number of beneficiaries, despite the stated goals of women’s empowerment.
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