CM Dhami Launches Phase 2 of Single Women Self-Employment Scheme
Synopsis
Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami launched Phase 2 of the Mukhya Mantri Ekal Mahila Svarozgar Yojana in Dehradun on 22 July 2026, disbursing over Rs 2.76 crore to 488 single women to support self-employment and economic independence under the state's women empowerment agenda.
Key Takeaways
Phase 2 of the Mukhya Mantri Ekal Mahila Svarozgar Yojana was launched by CM Pushkar Singh Dhami in Dehradun on 22 July 2026 .
488 single women received direct benefit transfers totalling more than Rs 2.76 crore at the launch event.
The scheme targets single women — including widows and women who are sole heads of households — with financial support for self-employment ventures.
The programme aligns with the national Atmanirbhar Bharat framework and Uttarakhand 's broader pattern of phase-wise welfare rollouts.
Uttarakhand 's high rate of male out-migration makes single-headed households a particularly significant demographic for such state interventions.
District-level rollout of further phases and evaluation of enterprise outcomes among earlier beneficiaries remain key milestones to watch.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the second phase of the Mukhya Mantri Ekal Mahila Svarozgar Yojana in Dehradun on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, transferring more than Rs 2.76 crore to 488 single women beneficiaries as part of the state government's push for women's economic self-reliance.
Context
Posting on X, CM Dhami announced: 'देहरादून में मुख्यमंत्री एकल महिला स्वरोजगार योजना के द्वितीय चरण का शुभारंभ किया।' ('Launched the second phase of the Chief Minister Single Women Self-Employment Scheme in Dehradun.') He added that the government is 'resolutely working' toward the empowerment of Matrishakti — a term referring to the strength of women — and economic self-reliance.
The chief minister described the scheme as providing single women with 'dignified livelihoods, self-employment opportunities, and a strong foundation for becoming self-reliant.' The event was accompanied by a direct benefit transfer, with funds disbursed to beneficiaries at the launch itself.
Policy Backdrop
The Mukhya Mantri Ekal Mahila Svarozgar Yojana is an Uttarakhand government initiative designed specifically for single women — a category that includes widows, divorced women, and those who are otherwise sole heads of their households. The scheme combines financial assistance with the objective of promoting small enterprises and self-employment at the grassroots level.
The phase-wise rollout model is consistent with how the Uttarakhand government has structured several of its welfare programmes, allowing district administrations to identify and onboard beneficiaries in tranches. The scheme sits within the broader national framing of Atmanirbhar Bharat, which emphasises self-sufficiency and enterprise-led growth at the individual and community level.
BJP-governed states have increasingly deployed targeted direct benefit transfer schemes for women-headed households as a policy tool, combining cash support with livelihood training. Uttarakhand has a relatively high proportion of single-headed households due to male out-migration for work, giving such schemes particular relevance in the hill state.
Stakeholders and Impact
The immediate beneficiaries of this phase are 488 single women across Uttarakhand, each receiving a share of the Rs 2.76 crore disbursed at the Dehradun event. The funds are intended to seed or expand small self-employment ventures, ranging from home-based production to service enterprises at the local level.
Women's welfare groups and district-level self-help network coordinators are key implementation partners, as the scheme relies on local outreach to identify eligible single women. The success of individual enterprises supported under the scheme will depend substantially on follow-through in the form of skilling support and market linkages beyond the initial cash transfer.
What's Next
With the second phase now under way, attention will turn to subsequent phases and the pace at which remaining eligible single women in the state are enrolled. Independent assessments of enterprise survival rates among first-phase beneficiaries would offer a clearer picture of the scheme's on-ground impact beyond the transfer event.
The Dhami government is expected to continue expanding the scheme's reach as part of its broader women's empowerment agenda ahead of the 2027 Uttarakhand assembly elections, making the programme's delivery record an increasingly visible political and policy benchmark.
Point of View
Where female-headed households are disproportionately common due to labour out-migration, the scheme addresses a structural social reality as much as a political priority. The second-phase launch in Dehradun signals that the government is moving beyond pilot optics toward scaled implementation, though the scheme's long-term credibility will rest on whether beneficiaries sustain viable enterprises rather than one-time transfers. With assembly elections on the horizon, the pace and coverage of subsequent phases will be watched closely as a test of delivery over announcement.
NationPress
22 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mukhya Mantri Ekal Mahila Svarozgar Yojana?
It is an Uttarakhand government scheme that provides financial assistance and self-employment support specifically to single women — including widows and women who are sole heads of their households — to help them establish small enterprises and achieve economic self-reliance.
How much money was distributed in Phase 2 of the scheme?
More than Rs 2.76 crore was transferred directly to 488 single women beneficiaries during the Phase 2 launch event held in Dehradun on 22 July 2026.
Who launched the second phase of the Ekal Mahila Svarozgar Yojana?
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the second phase at an event in Dehradun on 22 July 2026.
Who is eligible for the Mukhya Mantri Ekal Mahila Svarozgar Yojana in Uttarakhand?
The scheme is designed for single women in Uttarakhand, a category that includes widows, divorced women, and women who are the sole earners or heads of their households, with the aim of supporting their livelihood and self-employment needs.
What is the broader goal of Uttarakhand's single women welfare schemes?
The broader goal is to provide dignified livelihoods and economic independence to vulnerable women, consistent with the national Atmanirbhar Bharat framework, by combining direct financial transfers with self-employment and enterprise support at the grassroots level.
