Delhi approves scheme to pay women Rs 2,500 monthly, fails to clarify eligibility

Delhi’s Bharatiya Janata Party government on Saturday approved the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, a scheme that promises to pay Rs 2,500 every month to women in the national capital.

However, the government did not clarify who would be eligible for the scheme.

“Today, on Women’s Day, our Cabinet met and all the ministers attended it,” Chief Minister Rekha Gupta told reporters. “The Cabinet approved our promise made in the Sankalp Patra [manifesto] in the run-up to the election to provide Rs 2,500 to poor women under the Mahila Samriddhi Yojana.”

In the run-up to the recent Assembly elections in the national capital, the BJP had promised to pay Rs 2,500 a month to women if it came to power. The Opposition Aam Aadmi Party had offered Rs 2,100.

“We have also made a Budget provision of Rs 5,100 crore so that we can give the benefit to women,” Gupta added.

She said that a committee comprising Cabinet ministers Pravesh Sahib Singh, Ashish Sood and Kapil Mishra had been formed to implement the scheme, The Hindu reported.

“Soon a portal will be made for registration of the scheme and terms and conditions will be discussed and it will be started soon,” The Hindu quoted Gupta as saying.

On Sunday, Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised the women of Delhi that Rs 2,500 would be transferred to their accounts on March 8, ANI reported.

“But what happened yesterday?” Atishi asked. “In yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, leave alone giving money, it was not even decided who will be eligible and when will the registration start.”

“Everyone knows that when something has to be put on hold, a committee is formed,” the former chief minister said. “This is what the BJP has done.”

The BJP defeated the Aam Aadmi Party in the Assembly elections on February 8, three days after polling. The Hindutva party won in 48 constituencies while the Aam Aadmi Party bagged 21 seats in the 70-member Assembly.

A party or coalition needs at least 36 seats to stake claim to form the government in Delhi.