NEW DELHI: The Delhi cabinet has cleared the ‘Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana’ that entitles women in the national capital to a monthly financial assistance of ₹1,000, and this amount will be raised to ₹2,100 after the February 2025 elections, Aadm Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday.
Kejriwal underlined that the money would be credited into the bank accounts of beneficiaries only after the polls.
“The elections are likely to be announced in the next 15 days so it is not possible to transfer the money into your accounts. But the scheme has been implemented. While we were working on this scheme, many women came to me and said due to high inflation ₹1,000 is too little. I am announcing today that the registration will start from tomorrow (for Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana’) and the registration will be for ₹2,100 per month,” the AAP chief said at an event at the AAP headquarters to launch the scheme.
“In the next two three days, AAP workers will go from household to household, enrol you and give you registration cards. Keep the registration cards safely. After Delhi election, the ₹1000 per month scheme will be changed into ₹2100 per month scheme, and you will get ₹2,100 per month. The way I implemented ₹1,000 pm scheme, I will implement ₹2,100 scheme,” Kejriwal said with chief minister Atishi standing next to him.
All women in Delhi are entitled to apply if they meet certain conditions such as they are not income tax payers, government employees or pensioners..
The AAP convenor recalled that the ₹1,000 scheme was unveiled in the annual budget speech earlier this year. But the scheme could not be implemented earlier because he was put in jail “in a fake case.”
“I had announced the scheme in March this year, and hoped to implement it by April. But these people (BJP) put me in jail in a fake case. I spent six months in jail and since I came back from jail, I was working to get this scheme implemented along with Atishi. We are not doing any favour to the women. The women run their families, raise their kids……. if we can provide some assistance in this work of the women we will feel fortunate. I believe this scheme will not lead to expenditure but will in fact help the Delhi government prosper,” Kejriwal said.
The AAP chief ruled out any financial constraints in implementing the scheme.
He said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were raising questions about the scheme and asking how the government will fund this scheme. But they used to say the same thing when I contested the 2013 assembly election and promised to make electricity free. “The BJP used to say where the money will come from. I want to tell the BJP leaders that I am a magician of accounts. I know where to save the money and where to get the money and where to spend. You should not worry,” said Kejriwal.
“Some people said that it would be difficult to implement the scheme….but it has been implemented. Kejriwal does whatever he resolves to do. We get all our work even the toughest work done with the support of the 2 crore (20 million people of Delhi. no obstacle stops us,” said Kejriwal.
Thursday’s announcement is seen as an attempt by AAP to reach out to women who account for 7 million of the city’s 15.3 million voters. Kejriwal sought their support at the event.
“Some people are saying that AAP will win the election and form the government but the number of seats will come down to 45-50. I believe that if all my sisters and mothers help us, we will get over 60-65 seats. Now it is your responsibility to help us form a strong government because they (BJP) will poach our MLAs if we win by a thin margin. Do not let this happen. Help us get over 60 seats,” said Kejriwal.
