Saving Prime Minister Modi’s guarantee Mahila Samriddi Yojana

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta green-lights flagship scheme on Women’s Day

By Sushil Kutty

Just in the nick of time! Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta saved Prime Minister Narendra Modi more than embarrassment. She didn’t let “Modi’s Guarantee” go waste like it has occasionally before. Prime Minister Modi had underwritten the BJP’s ‘Mahila Samriddhi Yojana’, which it had promised for women voters of Delhi if they voted the BJP to power and sent Arvind Kejriwal packing!

But Modi’s guarantee was taking its own time coming and Delhi’s women were asking Modi to walk the talk, put the money where his mouth was. And the BJP was getting cagey as well as desperate. Finding the dough to make the ‘roti’ wasn’t easy. Prime Minister Modi is used to spilling words, they’re cheaper than the dust under Modi’s feet.

On top of that, questions were being asked. By the Congress and by the Aam Aadmi Party. Especially by the leader of the opposition in the Delhi assembly, AAP’s Atishi who was also Delhi Chief Minister before Rekha Gupta. On Saturday, International Women’s Day, Atishi reminded Chief Minister Rekha Gupta of the BJP’s ‘Mahila Samriddhi Yojana’ and asked the million dollar question?

And just when Saturday looked like going, going, gone… Gupta announced that her government had approved the yojana and Rs 5100 crore will be allocated for the scheme in the Delhi budget in the Budget session of the Delhi Assembly. Just in time or somebody else would have been nursing “sarupnakha jokes”, just like the one the Prime Minister once cracked, early in his over decade long rule.

“Today is Women’s Day. We had our cabinet meeting today, and our cabinet approved the scheme – the promise that we made during the Delhi elections to provide Rs 2500 to the women,” CM Gupta said. “We’ve made a provision of RS 5100 crore in the Delhi Budget…We have formed a committee…registration for the scheme will begin soon. A portal will be launched.”

The BJP’s fire-fighting machine at work. Rekha Gupta will be Prime Minister Modi’s favourite BJP Chief Minister for at least a month! But Gupta had to do it because one woman who was thoroughly enjoying International Women’s Day was Arvind Kejriwal’s choice for stop-gap Delhi Chief Minister, Atishi.

When Kejriwal stepped out of jail, courtesy of the Supreme Court, Atishi found herself relegated to Kejriwal’s shadow! Then, when the Delhi assembly elections results were out and Kejriwal lost, Atishi put on her dancing shoes. She danced on the road and she danced like there was no tomorrow. The happiness spilled over on the blacktop and was a contrast to Kejriwal’s mug.

Atishi was as if to Kejriwal, “See me, now!” There is nothing like showing the middle-finger to the guy who thinks nothing of women but uses them to fill in the gap. Kejriwal promised Delhi’s women cash on the barrel and then reneged. And International Women’s Day 2025 was still to come?

Is Atishi now Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly? A cabinet-rank position with all the paraphernalia? This time, truly ‘Shadow Chief Minister’? The irony! Kejriwal made her his shadow and here’s Atishi ‘maybe Shadow Chief Minister’ in her own right. Such is how tables are turned! If Arvind Kejriwal hasn’t yet learned his lesson, he should.

Atishi is having fun in Arvind Kejriwal’s absence from the assembly. The Supreme Court clipped his wings. Barred him from the Chief Minister’s Office. Rendered him a persona non-grata at the Delhi secretariat, too. Atishi could go and come as she wished. Walk in and out of the Secretariat.

Today, she could be Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s guest. And, if she’s indeed LoP, there’s nobody who can stop from being in the vicinity of the CMO. Atishi was enjoying International Women’s Day, 2025 as much if not more than many women politicians. More than even Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed who has been having a romp commenting on Indian cricketers, from skipper Rohit Sharma to pacer Shami Mohammad.

Shama Mohamed made a mathematical error while talking about Shami but nobody is gonna risk his head contradicting Shama. Mohamed said Islam “founded” Mathematics and that Islam gave ‘zero’ to lead digits 1-9. Shama Mohamed calculated wrong, but this is not about Shama Mohamed. This is about Atishi and Rekha Gupta, and International Women’s Day. It is about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “guarantee” and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s Mahila Samriddhi Yojana.

Atishi said BJP’s manifesto had promised financial aid to women, what happened? And that it was already International Women’s Day. Delhi’s women were still waiting. Will Chief Minister Rekha Gupta please stand up, Atishi reminded Gupta of the Rs 2,500 per month the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana.

“During the election campaign, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised Rs 2,500 to all the women by March 8. It has not yet been received,” Atishi posted on ‘X’. “Women across the city are eagerly checking their phones, waiting for the promised deposit.”

Mahila Samriddhi Yojana is a key poll promise of the BJP. The deadline was International Women’s Day. But International Women’s Day came and almost went. Whatever happened to “Modi ki Guarantee.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi has often gotten away with fabulously fat fibs on his tongue?

Throughout the Saturday Delhi was agog with rumours of “an official announcement” was on its way and that nobody needs to fret, least of all opposition leader Atishi! Talk also was that the Rekha Gupta cabinet was working overtime and the scheme was ready for rollout.

Chances are the scheme will be mutilated beyond recognition before it is released in full for public consumption. Eligibility conditions were being fine-tuned, said one gadfly: “The lieutenant governor is waiting, waiting, waiting…”

Who gets the “Samriddhi” is anybody’s guess. Identification of potential recipients is a headache. Relevant information is being sought. Gupta says an online portal will be launched! Friday also Chief Minister Rekha Gupta chaired a high-level meeting!

The Delhi Assembly budget session is slated for March 24. The budget will be presented on March 24 or March 26. Gupta says it will be a ‘Viksit Delhi’ budget for holistic development. Atishi was not impressed. Atishi was asking for the ‘Mahila Samriddhi Yojana’, insisting the women of Delhi wanted their Rs 2,500 each, ‘Viksit Delhi’ or not ‘Viksit Delhi’. Former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi enjoyed International Women’s Day to the hilt Saturday. And current Chief Minister Rekha Gupta just managed to save the BJP and the Delhi government from being skinned alive on International Women’s Day!

The Delhi government on Saturday approved the ‘Mahila Samriddhi Yojana’ to provide ₹2,500 to women.

“Today is Women’s Day. We had our cabinet meeting today, and our cabinet has approved the scheme – the promise that we made during the Delhi elections to provide ₹2500 to the women,” Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta announced. “We made a provision of ₹5100 crores in the Delhi budget for the implementation of the scheme. We have formed the committee, which will be led by me and the registration for the scheme will begin soon – a portal will be launched soon,” she said. (IPA Service)