New Delhi, July 28 — The Delhi Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday approved the decision to roll out the ‘Delhi Lakshmi Yojana’ – offering Rs 2,500 per month to eligible women - by opening the portal for registration for the scheme from August 1.
Chief Minister Gupta said it was a day of celebration for Delhi women as the government initiates the process of disbursing Rs 2,500 per month to eligible beneficiaries from Raksha Bandhan.
She said the online portal for the scheme will be launched on 1st August. Eligible women will be able to apply through the portal, after which their applications will undergo verification.
The first instalment for the initial batch of beneficiaries is expected to be disbursed by Raksha Bandhan this year, marking a significant step towards the financial empowerment of women in Delhi.
The Delhi government estimates that this ambitious initiative will directly benefit lakhs of women across the capital, she said.
Earlier, the Delhi government officially renamed its flagship Mahila Samriddhi Yojana as the ‘Delhi Lakshmi Yojana’.
Under the scheme, eligible women between the ages of 21 and 60 will receive financial assistance of Rs 2,500 every month.
Chief Minister Gupta said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, women’s empowerment has become not just a social commitment but a cornerstone of a developed India.
She said the Prime Minister has consistently viewed women-led development as the most effective driver of the country’s progress.
Taking that vision forward, the Delhi government is providing women in the capital with a strong foundation for financial empowerment, self-reliance and a life of dignity through the ‘Delhi Lakshmi Yojana’.
She said the government believes that when a woman in a household becomes financially secure, it accelerates the progress of the family, society and the nation alike.
During a review meeting, the Chief Minister also instructed officials to ensure strict adherence to all the scheme's guidelines so that only genuine beneficiaries receive its benefits.
She said the government’s objective is to implement the scheme with complete transparency and accountability.
The earlier meeting saw a detailed discussion on the scheme’s eligibility criteria. It was decided that only those women, or their families, who have been residents of Delhi for at least 10 years will be eligible.
Neither the beneficiary nor her family should have any criminal record. Within a family, only the eldest eligible woman will qualify for the scheme, and only one woman from each family will be entitled to receive the benefit.
In addition, the family’s annual income must not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh. Women who are already receiving benefits under any government pension or other regular financial assistance scheme will not be eligible. Similarly, women from families that own a four-wheeler will also not qualify for the scheme, said the statement.