Himachal To Launch Free Power and Monthly Aid Scheme for Extremely Poor Families on October 2

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday announced that the state government will launch the ‘Mukhyamantri Ka Apna Parivar Sukhi Parivar Yojana’ on October 2, offering 300 units of free electricity and Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women from extremely poor families.

Chairing a meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Rajput Welfare Board, Sukhu said the scheme is expected to cover around 2 lakh extremely poor families. He said nearly 90,000 families identified under the initiative have not received benefits from any government welfare scheme so far.

The new programme brings together two major forms of support free electricity and direct monthly financial assistance for women targeted specifically at the poorest households. While several states provide similar benefits through separate welfare schemes, Himachal Pradesh’s proposed initiative seeks to combine them under a single programme for extremely poor families.

Several states offer similar welfare benefits through separate schemes. Punjab provides up to 300 units of free electricity, while Karnataka and Telangana offer up to 200 units. Delhi provides ₹2,500 monthly assistance to eligible poor women, while Andhra Pradesh offers similar support through separate welfare schemes. However, Himachal Pradesh's new scheme combines 300 free power units and ₹1,500 monthly assistance for eligible women, specifically targeting extremely poor families.

Sukhu said his government remained committed to ensuring that welfare schemes reach every eligible person. He also highlighted support for natural farming, including minimum support prices for wheat, maize, raw turmeric and ginger, besides higher procurement prices for cow and buffalo milk.

The chief minister further referred to the Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana, under which eligible children of widowed women up to 18 years receive Rs 1,000 per month, while the government bears higher education costs for eligible beneficiaries aged between 18 and 27 in government institutions.

The October 2 launch is expected to expand Himachal Pradesh’s welfare outreach to families that have remained outside existing government support programmes.