Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday, 18 June 2026, took to X to mark two years of the BJP-led state government, crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and the 'double engine' coordination between the Centre and state for what he described as a new dawn of development for Odisha. The post, shared under the hashtags #2YearsofLokankaSarakar and #DoubleEngineDoubleVikas, highlighted three flagship schemes aimed at women's empowerment and financial self-reliance.

Context

In his post — written in Odia — CM Majhi stated that the 'visionary guidance of respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the unprecedented coordination between the Central and state governments have today brought a new sunrise of development to Odisha.' He specifically named three schemes — Subhadra, Lakhpati Didi, and Ujjwala Yojana — as transformative steps through which, in his words, 'the women power of the state has today become self-reliant and self-respecting.' The post marks the completion of two years since the BJP formed its first-ever government in Odisha in June 2024, ending 24 years of Biju Janata Dal rule.

Policy Backdrop

Ujjwala Yojana, launched nationally in May 2016, provides free LPG connections to women from below-poverty-line households, targeting indoor air pollution and women's health. Lakhpati Didi is an initiative under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), scaled with explicit targets from 2023 onwards, aimed at enabling women in self-help groups (SHGs) to earn at least Rs 1 lakh annually through structured livelihood support. Subhadra is an Odisha state scheme focused on women's empowerment and financial inclusion, designed to complement central efforts for household-level self-reliance.

The 'double engine government' framing — referring to the same party ruling at the Centre and in the state — has been a consistent BJP messaging device, particularly in states won in the 2024 assembly cycle including Odisha, to argue for faster and more seamless delivery of central welfare programmes.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries cited in the post are women in Odisha, particularly those in rural self-help groups, below-poverty-line households, and families without clean cooking fuel access. CM Majhi framed the government's work as giving 'true respect to women power' while working firmly for 'the welfare of every family in Odisha.' Similar messaging around the same scheme basket — Ujjwala, Lakhpati Didi, and state-level women's transfers — has been deployed by BJP chief ministers in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, reflecting a coordinated national narrative on women's economic empowerment.

For Odisha specifically, the post signals the state government's intent to align its political identity with the Centre's women-welfare agenda as a core governance deliverable heading into the second half of its term.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to state budget allocations and physical progress reports on Subhadra and Lakhpati Didi targets within Odisha, as the government's two-year mark invites scrutiny of actual beneficiary numbers and disbursement data. Any forthcoming announcements under the next phase of Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana or updated NRLM targets will also be watched closely for Odisha-specific figures. The BJP's ability to demonstrate measurable outcomes on women's financial inclusion will be central to its political narrative as the state heads toward the midpoint of its five-year term.