Government Schemes for Women: Main Benefits and How to Apply in Your State

Government schemes for women have evolved significantly in 2025-26. Whether you need financial support for a newborn, funding for a girl child’s education, or a monthly cash transfer from your state government, the process is now largely digital (online) but strict on documentation.

This guide provides the exact facts, official links, and step-by-step application procedures for the most important central and state-level schemes active right now.

---

1. Top 3 Central Government Schemes (Available in All States)

A. Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY 2.0)

Best For: Pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Benefit: ₹5,000 for the first child (2 installments) and ₹6,000 for the second child (if it is a girl).

• Eligibility:

  • Pregnant women (min. age 19 years).

  • Not working in Central/State Govt or PSUs.

  • Family income < ₹8 Lakh/year OR holder of BPL/E-Shram/MGNREGA card.

• Required Documents:

  • Mother & Child Protection (MCP) Card (from Anganwadi/Doctor).

  • Aadhaar Card (Mother & Husband).

  • Bank Passbook (Aadhaar-linked).

How to Apply (Online):

1. Visit Portal: Go to pmmvy.nic.in (Part of Mission Shakti).

2. Citizen Login: Click on “Citizen Login” (NOT PMMVY CAS which is for officials).

3. Verify Mobile: Enter your mobile number and verify via OTP.

4. Register: Fill the “Data Entry” form. You will need the LMP (Last Menstrual Period) date from your MCP card.

5. Submit: Upload scanned copies of documents. Note down the Beneficiary ID.

Offline Process: Visit your nearest Anganwadi Centre or ASHA worker. Ask for “Form 1-A” (for 1st child) or “Form 1-B” (for 2nd girl child).

---

B. Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana 2.0 (PMUY)

Best For: Women from poor households who do not have an LPG gas connection.

Benefit: Free LPG Gas Connection + Free First Refill + Free Hotplate (Stove).

• Eligibility: Adult woman (18+), SC/ST, PMAY (Gramin) beneficiary, or Poor Household (Self-declaration). No existing gas connection in the house.

• Required Documents:

  • Aadhaar Card.

  • Ration Card (mandatory for verifying family composition).

  • Bank Account details.

How to Apply (Online):

1. Visit Portal: Go to pmuy.gov.in.

2. Apply: Click on “Apply for New Ujjwala 2.0 Connection”.

3. Select Provider: Choose Indane, Bharat Gas, or HP Gas.

4. KYC: Fill the KYC form online. Select “Ujjwala 2.0” option.

5. Upload: Upload Aadhaar and Ration card copies.

6. Dealer: Select a local distributor near your home.

---

C. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY)

Best For: Parents of a girl child (Age 0-10 years) for future education/marriage.

Benefit: High interest rate (8.2% as of Q4 2025-26) + Tax-free maturity.

• Investment: Minimum ₹250/year; Maximum ₹1.5 Lakh/year.

• Maturity: 21 years from account opening (partial withdrawal allowed for education after age 18).

How to Apply (Offline Only):

• Location: You cannot open this account fully online. You must visit a Post Office or a designated Bank Branch (SBI, PNB, BoB, etc.).

• Process:

  1. Get the SSY Account Opening Form from the branch.

  2. Submit with Girl’s Birth Certificate + Parent’s Aadhaar/PAN.

  3. Deposit the initial amount (min ₹250) via cash/cheque.

  4. Tip: Once opened, you can link it to your Net Banking to deposit money online later.

---

2. State-Specific “Cash Transfer” Schemes (Ladli Behna, etc.)

Many states now deposit money directly into women’s bank accounts every month. Find your state below.

Note: For most state schemes, you must have a Single Bank Account (not joint) linked with Aadhaar.

---

3. General Required Documents (The “Golden List”)

Before applying for any scheme in 2026, ensure you have these 5 items ready. 90% of rejections happen because these are missing or mismatched.

1. Aadhaar Card: Name and Date of Birth must match exactly with your school certificates or PAN.

2. Bank Passbook: Must be an individual account (Joint accounts are often rejected for DBT).

3. DBT Enablement: Your bank account must be “Aadhaar Seeded” (NPCI mapped) to receive direct transfers. Just giving your Aadhaar number to the bank is not enough; ask them to “Enable DBT”.

4. Mobile Number: Must be linked to your Aadhaar for OTP verification.

5. Ration Card: Often required for state schemes to prove residency and family details.

---

4. Step-by-Step Online Application Guide (General)

If a specific portal link is not working, follow this standard procedure used for most Indian government schemes:

Step 1: Registration

• Go to the official portal. Look for a button saying “New Registration” or “Citizen Login”.

• Enter your Mobile Number and Captcha.

• Verify the OTP sent to your phone.

Step 2: Profile Creation

• Enter your Name as per Aadhaar.

• Enter Aadhaar Number and click “Verify” (Biometric or OTP based).

Step 3: Form Filling

• Select the specific scheme (e.g., “Maternity Benefit” or “Pension”).

• Fill in Bank Details: Account Number and IFSC Code carefully.

• Upload Photo: Usually a passport-size photo under 50KB or 100KB (JPG format).

Step 4: Submission

• Preview the form. Check spelling of your name.

• Click “Final Submit”.

• Important: Take a screenshot of the Application ID / Reference Number. You cannot track your status without this.

---

5. How to Check Application Status

Never wait blindly. Check your status 15 days after applying.

1. For Central Schemes (PMMVY, etc.):

   • Login to the same portal where you applied.

   • Look for the “Track Application” or “Status” link in the menu.

   • Enter your Application ID.

2. For DBT Payments (Money Transfer):

   • If the scheme says “Payment Processed” but money hasn’t arrived:

   • Visit pfms.nic.in (Public Financial Management System).

   • Click on “Know Your Payment”.

   • Enter your Bank Name and Account Number to see if the government has released the funds.

---

6. Common Problems and Solutions

Problem	Likely Cause	Solution
“Aadhaar Already Exist”	You or an official may have already registered you.	Try “Forgot Password” or visit the Anganwadi center to check old records.
“DBT / NPCI Failed”	Your bank account is not linked to NPCI mapper.	Go to your bank branch. Submit a “DBT Mandate Form” specifically asking to link Aadhaar to NPCI.
“Name Mismatch”	Name on Aadhaar is different from Bank Passbook.	Update your Bank Account name to match your Aadhaar exactly.
OTP Not Coming	Mobile network issue or old number linked.	Ensure your current mobile number is updated in your Aadhaar card at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra.
Site Not Loading	Server overload.	Try accessing the website late at night (after 10 PM) or early morning (before 8 AM).

---

7. Official Helplines

If you are stuck, use these official free numbers.

• PMMVY / Mission Shakti Helpline: 14408

• Ujjwala (LPG) Helpline: 1800-266-6696 or 1906

• Aadhaar Help (UIDAI): 1947

• Women Helpline (Domestic Violence/General): 181

• Child Helpline (For girl child schemes): 1098

---

What to do next?

If you have a young daughter (under 10), go to your nearest Post Office this week and open a Sukanya Samriddhi Account with just ₹250. It is the highest-return safe investment available for women in India today.

Disclaimer: This information is based on official government sources as of January 2026. Scheme rules, interest rates, and eligibility criteria can change. Always verify on the official government portals mentioned above.