Rekha Gupta-led BJP government in Delhi on Saturday approved the ‘Mahila Samridhi Yojana’ a welfare scheme aimed at providing monthly financial assistance of `2,500 each to poor women, with a Budget allocation of Rs 5,100 Crore. Opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) slammed the delay in fulfilling the promise made in the run up to the Assembly elections last month.
Announced on International Women’s Day, the decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. The scheme will be overseen by a committee of three ministers led by Gupta. It is estimated that 20-25 Lakh women will benefit from the scheme.
The formal announcement was made by BJP National President JP Nadda at an event organised by the BJP Mahila Morcha at Jawaharlal Nehru stadium to mark the Women’s Day after the Delhi Cabinet meeting at Delhi Secretariat.
The Delhi government, in a statement following the announcement, said a committee of three ministers Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, Kapil Mishra and Ashish Sood has been formed for implementation of the scheme. The committee will also decide the criteria and other things of the scheme.
The scheme will leverage advanced technology to ensure transparency, efficiency, and seamless disbursement of financial benefits. Aadhaar-based e-KYC will be used. The application process is linked to the Aadhaar numbers of the applicants. Eligible applications are required to provide details such as name, location, address and bank account linked with the Aadhaar card, along with information about family members.
“This initiative is a step towards fulfilling our promise to the women of Delhi. By providing direct financial assistance, we are ensuring economic security, greater independence and empowerment for women across the city. This scheme is not just a financial benefit but a commitment to building a stronger, more self-reliant community of women in Delhi,” it added.
The eligible beneficiaries should be the residents of Delhi and should be between the ages of 18-60, with a family income less than `3 Lakh per annum and are non-tax payers.
The scheme cannot be availed by government employees or any individual already getting financial help from other schemes run by the government like widow pension, old age pension or any similar assistance.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister said BJP has fulfilled the promise we had made to Delhi’s sisters in our Sankalp Patra (manifesto) under the Mahila Samridhi Yojana.
AAP leader and Gupta’s predecessor Atishi launched a scathing attack, accusing the new Delhi government of failing to deliver on its election promise before International Women’s Day. She called the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantee a “jumla” and alleged that the saffron party had misled voters. The Leader of Opposition claimed that instead of starting disbursements, the government has only formed a four-member committee.