Delhi government may soon launch Delhi Lakshmi Yojana.
Delhi government is soon going to start a scheme related to financial assistance to women on the lines of Bihar, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Here this scheme has been named Delhi Lakshmi Yojana. Under the proposed ‘Delhi Lakshmi Yojana’, eligible women will get Rs 2,500 as direct financial assistance every month. It is expected that this scheme will replace the earlier proposed name ‘Mahila Samridhi Yojana’. Officials said that preparations are in the final stages. Talks are going on with banks to distribute the funds and the online application portal will be started as soon as the eligibility rules are decided.
It is expected that the Delhi government will officially launch the ‘Delhi Lakshmi Yojana’ on the day of Raksha Bandhan, i.e. 28th August. Officials hope that all preparations will be completed by mid-August. In the Delhi budget presented in March 2025, Rs 5,100 crore was allocated for this scheme under the name of ‘Mahila Samridhi Yojana’. The purpose of changing its name to ‘Delhi Lakshmi Yojana’ is to give this program a distinct identity associated with the national capital and to highlight its focus on women.
How will the money be transferred?
The government is considering several methods to transfer the amount of assistance received every month to the beneficiaries. The most preferred method is direct transfer of money to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries (DBT). Officials are also considering whether some part of the assistance received every month should be deposited in the form of fixed deposit (FD) in the name of the beneficiary.
Another proposal being discussed is the use of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), also known as Digital Rupee, for payments. However, officials said that no final decision has been taken yet on this option.
If CBDC is adopted, beneficiaries will be required to have a CBDC wallet. This can be achieved through participating banks or other platforms registered with RBI. An official said that this has been discussed with the banks, but this method of payment has not been finalized yet. When the proposal is prepared, it is likely that this will be part of it.
What is the eligibility criteria?
The eligibility criteria are yet to be finalized, but as per the draft the scheme may be available to the following women:
- Women aged between 21 to 60 years.
- It is very important to be a permanent resident of Delhi.
- Women whose annual family income is up to Rs 2.5 lakh.
- These women will not benefit
- government employee
- income tax payer
- pensioners
- Four-wheeler (car) owner
Those who have valid ration card
Officials also indicated that women who have valid ration cards and meet the age criteria are likely to be eligible as their income records have already been verified. An official said in TOI report that it has been discussed that women who have ration cards and who meet the age criteria will be eligible to apply for the scheme. There is no particular doubt about his income. The government has already launched a massive verification campaign to remove ineligible, duplicate and dead ration card holders.
What is the application process?
The application process will be through an online portal. This portal is already ready and is just waiting for the eligibility criteria to be finalized before it can be launched. An official said that the portal is ready, all that has to be done is to update the eligibility rules before making it live.
What documents will be required
- aadhar card information
- Aadhaar linked bank account
- Proof of living in Delhi
- Self declaration letter required under the scheme
Why was the plan delayed?
There has been a delay of almost a year in the launch of this scheme. In fact, the government was working on finalizing the eligibility rules through a committee of ministers. This scheme was one of the important election promises of BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said that eligible women will get the first installment on March 8, 2025. The previous AAP government had also promised a similar financial assistance scheme and announced Rs 1,000 per month for women, but did not implement the scheme during its second term. Now it is expected to be launched on 28th August. The Delhi government is focusing on completing the remaining administrative formalities, including finalizing the way to distribute the money and approving the eligibility rules, before starting registration for eligible women.
