On Women's Day, Delhi approves Rs 2,500 monthly aid under Mahila Samriddhi scheme

The Delhi government held a Cabinet meeting led by Rekha Gupta and took the decision to approve the scheme with an annual budget of Rs 5100 crore.

In Short

• Financial aid scheme approved in Cabinet meet chaired by Rekha Gupta
• Special committee led by Rekha Gupta to oversee implementation
• Portal will be launched for registration with terms and conditions

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday announced that the Rs 2,500 financial aid for women under the Mahila Samriddhi Scheme has been approved, after days of speculation and war of words between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party.

A special committee led by Rekha Gupta and also comprising ministers Ashish Sood, Virender Sachdeva, and Kapil Sharma will oversee the implementation of the scheme. Also, a portal will be launched where eligible beneficiaries can register. Terms and conditions will also be laid down on the same portal.

The scheme is open to women living in Delhi aged between 18 and 60 years with an annual family income below Rs 3 lakh and those who are not required to pay income tax. It does not include government servants and individuals already getting financial assistance under other welfare schemes of the government.

The Delhi government held a Cabinet meeting chaired by Rekha Gupta and took the decision to approve the scheme with an annual budget of Rs 5,100 crore on International Women's Day on Saturday.

"Today is Women's Day. Looking at the auspicious occasion, we had our Cabinet meet and, in the presence of all the ministers, we approved the Rs 2,500 financial aid under the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana as promised to our sisters in Delhi during our poll campaign," Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said while addressing the media.

"We made a provision of Rs 5,100 crores in the Delhi budget for the implementation of the scheme so that our sisters in Delhi can benefit from it," she added.

"The scheme will leverage advanced technology to ensure transparency, efficiency, and seamless disbursement of financial benefits and Aadhaar-based e-KYC will be used," a government statement said.

"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.

BJP national president JP Nadda hailed the decision to approve the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana. "Today I am happy that Rs 5,100 crore has been allocated for this year so that this scheme can be implemented in Delhi," Nadda said while also thanking the women of Delhi, saying that a BJP win in the capital would not have been possible without their help.

AAP ATTACKS DELHI GOVERNMENT AFTER SCHEME APPROVAL

Meanwhile, the AAP, which has been on the offensive ever since Rekha Gupta assumed charge on February 20 over the implementation of the scheme, once again attacked the BJP government, saying that the party has betrayed the women of Delhi.

Former Delhi Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Atishi, said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised the women of Delhi that by March 8, Rs 2500 honorarium will be credited to their accounts. Today, all the women of Delhi are staring at their phones waiting for the message of Rs 2500 being deposited in the bank to come on their phones".

"Women of Delhi are angry. Women of Delhi are feeling cheated. Earlier, they had promised Rs 15 lakh. Now they have promised Rs 2,500 to women. They just fool us. They make excuses," AAP leader Reena Gupta was quoted as saying by ANI.