Bhamashah Yojana: Empowering Women in Rajasthan

Bhamashah Yojana: Empowering Women in Rajasthan

The Bhamashah Yojana is a pioneering initiative launched by the Rajasthan government in 2008. This scheme aims to empower women by making them financially independent and integrating them into the state's financial system. It serves as a cornerstone for Rajasthan's digitalization efforts by facilitating the transparent and direct transfer of financial and non-financial benefits offered by various government programs to eligible women beneficiaries.

Financial Inclusion through Bhamashah Card

The Bhamashah Yojana helps women in Rajasthan by offering them several benefits like:

• Secure access to scheme benefits
• Core banking functions
• Biometric identification

It promotes financial inclusion and security for women by eliminating the need for cash transactions.

Diverse Benefits for Women

The Bhamashah Yojana offers a multitude of benefits to women in Rajasthan. Below listed are the scheme’s key benefits:

• Educational Scholarships: Deserving students can receive scholarships directly transferred to their bank accounts through the Bhamashah card, aiding in pursuing their educational goals.
• Entrepreneurial Support: Women seeking to establish new businesses can avail loans through the scheme, empowering them to become financially self-sufficient.
• Free Medical Care: The Bhamashah card facilitates access to free medical treatment at designated hospitals for specific surgeries and illnesses, ensuring well-being for women and their families.
• Ration Distribution: The card acts as an identification tool for beneficiaries of subsidized or free ration programs, streamlining the distribution process and eliminating potential misuse.
• Skill Development: Women seeking professional training to build careers can benefit from the scheme's support in acquiring the necessary skills.

Objectives and Impact

Launched in 2008, the Bhamashah Yojana empowered over 1.5 crore women by opening bank accounts and minimizing corruption in delivering government benefits. This revolutionized how government’s benefits reach eligible recipients.

Key Features

• Direct Benefit Transfer: The Bhamashah Yojana ensures government benefits are electronically credited directly to the beneficiary's bank account, promoting transparency and accountability.
• Empowering Women: The scheme prioritizes directing state government benefits to women, a segment traditionally facing economic disparity.
• Financial Inclusion: The Bhamashah Yojana has significantly contributed to increasing bank account ownership among women, paving the way for wider financial inclusion.
• Inclusive Coverage: The scheme extends its benefits to deserving students and persons with disabilities, ensuring a broader societal impact.
• Optional Male Inclusion: Men can also participate in the scheme by paying a nominal fee, enabling them to avail its advantages.
• Healthcare Security: The Bhamashah card offers medical insurance ranging from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 3 lakh, providing financial assistance for medical emergencies to underprivileged families.
• Biometric Ration Distribution: Women cardholders can utilize the Bhamashah card's biometric authentication for purchasing rations at designated shops, ensuring a streamlined and efficient distribution system.

Eligibility

The Bhamashah Yojana caters to a diverse range of women seeking financial assistance for various purposes based on the below listed eligibility criteria:

• Education: Children enrolled in government schools and colleges aspiring to pursue coaching programs for entrance examinations.
• Entrepreneurship: Women seeking financial support to establish new businesses and become self-employed.
• Women Empowerment: Women striving for self-reliance and leadership roles.
• Healthcare: Individuals requiring financial aid for medical procedures and treatment.

Application Process

The application process for the Bhamashah Yojana can be done either via online or offline.

• Online Application: Applicants can submit the required documents through the official Bhamashah Yojana website. These documents typically include an application form, caste certificate, birth certificate, identification proof (Aadhaar card or ration card), and relevant experience certificates for business ventures.
• Offline Application: For those seeking to apply offline, application camps are organized by the state government in every ward, encompassing both rural and urban village panchayats. These camps provide guidance and assist applicants in completing the process.