Delhi Rolls Out Rs 2,500 Monthly Payout for Women With Strict Eligibility Caps
The Delhi government will launch the Lakshmi Yojana on August 28, offering monthly financial aid to 17 lakh women. Strict exclusions apply to taxpayers, government employees, and mothers of more than three children.
Launch Date and Financial Structure
The Delhi government is set to initiate the first disbursement of the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana on August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta confirmed that approximately 17 lakh women will receive a monthly stipend of ₹2,500. To facilitate the rollout, an online application portal will go live on August 1.
Recipients can choose between two payment structures:
- Split Allocation: ₹1,500 is placed into a fixed or recurring deposit (FD/RD), while ₹1,000 is issued via a digital rupee wallet. Spending from this wallet is restricted based on a government 'Negative List' of prohibited goods and services.
- Savings Manual: The total ₹2,500 is deposited directly into an FD or RD to encourage long-term capital accumulation.
Exclusionary Criteria and Restrictions
The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has outlined rigorous criteria that disqualify several groups from the program. A notable provision renders women with more than three living children ineligible. Other exclusions target economic and professional status, including:
- Income taxpayers and GST return filers.
- Government employees or individuals with family members employed by State, Central, or PSU organizations.
- Families consuming more than 2,400 units of electricity annually.
- Owners of four-wheeled vehicles.
- Individuals already receiving government pensions or other regular state financial aid.
Eligible candidates must be between 21 and 60 years old and have resided in Delhi for at least a decade. Additionally, neither the applicant nor their family may have a criminal record. Benefits are limited to the eldest eligible woman per household, provided the total family income remains below ₹2.5 lakh per year.
Political Timeline and Funding
The scheme serves as a realization of a 2025 Delhi Assembly election pledge by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), originally titled the 'Mahila Samriddhi Yojana.' Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi initially promised a March 2025 start date, the rollout was delayed despite a Cabinet allocation of ₹5,100 crore in early 2025. That budget was later updated to ₹5,110 crore during this year's annual budget presentation. Chief Minister Gupta stated that the program fulfills a core campaign commitment within the administration's first year, aiming to provide financial autonomy to the city's female residents.
Source: The Hindu — Cities
