Government schemes for women in Jammu and Kashmir, from free buses to Mission YUVA

Also called Free bus for women J&K, JKRTC free travel, Smart City e-bus free travel, zero ticket travel

Free travel for women on JKRTC buses and government e-buses

Women travel free on government-run buses, including JKRTC buses and the electric buses in the cities. She shows her Aadhaar card to the conductor, who registers her on a handheld machine.

Status

Running since 1 April 2025; no end notice found as of 19 October 2026, but one report says service is thin outside Srinagar and Jammu.

Who can apply

• Women passengers on government-operated buses, including e-buses and JKRTC buses
• Aadhaar card to be shown to the conductor

Documents

• Aadhaar card

How to apply

1. Board a JKRTC bus or a government e-bus
2. Show your Aadhaar card to the conductor
3. The conductor enters your Aadhaar details on the ticket machine and you do not pay

In person: No application. Ask at the nearest JKRTC depot or the Transport Department office.

Run by

Transport Department / J&K Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) and Smart City e-buses, Government of Jammu and Kashmir

The government says it covers any government-operated bus, but a field report found the service is mostly in Srinagar and Jammu areas and many rural routes have no government bus. Private minibuses and sumos are not covered.

Checked 19 October 2026 against Free bus service for women launched, 1 April 2025, Zero ticket travel initiative started in J&K, A free travel scheme for women bypasses rural Kashmir · Official page to apply

Also called ISSS widow pension, Widow pension J&K, Women in Distress pension, ISSS-WID

Monthly pension: ₹1,250 for ages 40 to 59, ₹1,500 for ages 60 to 79, ₹2,000 for 80 and above (rates given in the Assembly reply)

A monthly pension for destitute, separated, divorced and widowed women with no source of income. The pension is paid into the bank account of the woman.

Status

Paying in 2026; the Assembly was told on 13 February 2026 that rates were raised from 1 April 2025 and no further raise is planned.

Who can apply

• Women in distress: destitute, separated, divorced or widowed
• Aged 40 to 79 years as per the department rules
• Proof of age, income, status and address to be given with the form

Documents

• Proof of age
• Income proof
• Proof of status (widow, divorced or separated)
• Proof of address

How to apply

1. Get the form free of cost from the District or Tehsil Social Welfare Office
2. Fill it and attach proof of age, income, status and address
3. Submit it to the Tehsil Social Welfare Officer and take a receipt
4. A district committee sanctions the pension

In person: Tehsil Social Welfare Officer or District Social Welfare Officer

Run by

Social Welfare Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir

The department web page still shows the old rate of ₹1,000 a month; the higher rates come from the February 2026 Assembly reply as reported in the news. Ask the Tehsil office which rate is being paid. The reply shows ₹2,000 for women aged 80 or more, even though the department page lists 40 to 79 as the age band.

Checked 19 October 2026 against Widows/Women in Distress, Integrated Social Security Schemes (ISSS), Govt says no proposal to hike widow pensions (Assembly reply AQ 1314, 13 Feb 2026) · Official page to apply

Also called Tejaswini scheme, Tejaswani, Rs 5 lakh for young women J&K, Mission Youth women loan

Help to get a Mudra loan from J&K Bank of up to ₹5 lakh to start a business

A scheme for young women in J&K to start their own small business or service. Mission Youth helps her get a bank loan of up to ₹5 lakh.

Status

The online application form is live on the Mission Youth site (site last updated August 2024); no 2026 notice found, so confirm intake with Mission Youth before applying (checked 19 October 2026).

Who can apply

• Woman who is a J&K domicile, registered with Mission Youth
• Age 18 to 35 years with 10th standard or above (the Mission Youth CEO can relax the education rule case by case)
• Business can also be a firm where women hold at least half the stake
• A woman can use the scheme only once

Documents

• Domicile certificate
• Aadhaar card
• Date of birth certificate
• Matriculation certificate
• Project report for the business
• Unemployment certificate (only if applying as a new business)
• Passport size photograph

How to apply

1. Open the Tejaswani registration form on the Mission Youth site
2. Fill it and upload the documents as PDF files under 500 kB
3. Submit it; the loan is processed through J&K Bank under Mudra

In person: Mission Youth office or District Employment and Counselling Centre

Run by

Mission Youth J&K (Government of Jammu and Kashmir), loan through J&K Bank

The official pages say the loan is up to ₹5 lakh through J&K Bank. News reports mention a Mission Youth subsidy of ₹50,000 or 10 percent of the cost plus an interest subvention, but the official pages opened do not state this, so ask Mission Youth before counting on it.

Checked 19 October 2026 against Tejaswani registration form, Mission Youth Schemes, Frequently Asked Questions · Official page to apply

Also called Mission Yuva, Yuva Udyami Vikas Abhiyan, nano enterprise subsidy J&K, Udyam Jagriti

Subsidy of 30 percent of project cost for women, up to ₹1,00,000, plus 5 percent interest subvention for 5 years on a bank loan

Support for a small business with a project cost of up to ₹10 lakh, such as tailoring or a grocery shop. Women get a 30 percent subsidy (others get 25 percent), paid in two parts, and the bank loan gets interest help.

Status

Running in 2026; the Apex Committee on 18 May 2026 set a target of 50,000 enterprises for 2026-27 and the application portal is live.

Who can apply

• Small business (nano enterprise) with a maximum project cost of ₹10 lakh
• Open to first-time entrepreneurs with no earlier formal credit history
• Women entrepreneurs get a 30 percent subsidy up to ₹1,00,000

Documents

• Aadhaar card
• Bank account
• Business plan or project report (a DPR generator is on the portal)

How to apply

1. Register on the Mission YUVA portal
2. Complete the entrepreneurship training and prepare a project report
3. Apply for the bank loan; a district committee approves the subsidy
4. Subsidy is paid in two parts: at loan sanction and after the business starts

In person: District Employment and Counselling Centre, or a Business Help Desk. Helpline 1800-180-4969.

Run by

Department of Skill Development and Labour and Employment, Government of Jammu and Kashmir

The subsidy is tied to a bank loan, so it is only paid if the bank sanctions one. The J&K residency rule is assumed from the scope of the mission and is not spelled out on the pages opened.

Checked 19 October 2026 against Mission YUVA portal, Nano Enterprises, Mission YUVA: Rs 1100 crore disbursed, 25000 cases sanctioned · Official page to apply

Also called Umeed, J&K Rural Livelihoods Mission, JKRLM, Umeed SHG, Lakhpati Didi J&K

Self-help group membership with revolving fund, community investment fund, bank loans and skills training

Rural women join a self-help group (SHG) formed under Umeed. The group can get a revolving fund, a community investment fund, bank loans and training, and Umeed also runs services such as homestays and rural haats.

Status

Running in 2026 with a helpline; Lakhpati Didi targets are being pursued under it (checked 19 October 2026).

Who can apply

• Rural women who join an SHG promoted by Umeed
• Group, village organisation and cluster federation structure is used for funds and loans

Documents

• Aadhaar card
• Bank account

How to apply

1. Contact the Umeed block office or call the helpline 1800 2020 383
2. Join or form an SHG in your village
3. The group is assessed, then gets the revolving fund and a bank link

In person: Block office of the Rural Development Department (Umeed block team)

Run by

Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission (Umeed), Rural Development Department

The Umeed website does not publish a fixed rupee amount for each group, so amounts depend on the group and the bank. Lakhpati Didi means a woman whose household earns at least ₹1 lakh a year; it is a goal of the national mission, not a separate cash payment.

Checked 19 October 2026 against JKRLM Umeed home page, Contact us, Over 2.52 lakh women in J&K become Lakhpati Didis, Lok Sabha told (28 July 2026) · Official page to apply