15% women may lose out on Delhi's monthly payout scheme due to 3-child cap

The scheme has officially been cleared by the Delhi government, eliminating women with more than 3 living children.

Women with more than three living children will not be eligible for the ₹2,500 monthly payout under the Delhi government’s flagship welfare scheme for women. The criterion could probably exclude about 15% of women in the lowest income strata of Delhi’s households, according to an HT analysis of the latest data available.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announces the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana at the Delhi Secretariat in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. ( HT Photo)

The restriction was revealed after guidelines for the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana scheme were approved by the Cabinet led by chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday. The scheme will also exclude women who use more than 2,400 units of electricity a year — which is essentially monthly usage above the 200-unit threshold for free power.

A monthly financial assistance scheme for women was a key electoral plank for the BJP, which came to power in the state a year ago.

Under the approved guidelines, women aged between 21 and 60 years whose family income does not exceed ₹2.5 lakh annually will be eligible for the payout. The scheme has initially been approved for three years from the date it comes into force, after which it may continue with suitable modifications, officials said.

The government estimated a few months ago that more than 1.7 million women will benefit from the initiative, for which ₹5,110 crore was earmarked in the 2026-27 budget. It is not clear if this number holds in view of the latest exclusion criteria as well as other restrictions that were earlier announced.

Besides women already receiving financial assistance or pension under any other government scheme, those who pay income tax, file GST returns, are government employees, or belong to families with members employed by the Centre, state governments, public sector undertakings or other government organisations will be ineligible, according to the cabinet note approved on Tuesday.

Additionally, families owning a four-wheeler, annual household electricity consumption exceeding 2,400 units and women with a criminal record will also be excluded.

Announcing the decision after the cabinet meeting, Gupta said the government had fulfilled a key commitment made to women during the Assembly elections. “The Delhi Government has fulfilled the commitment it had made to ensure the economic independence of Delhi’s women. Under the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana, every eligible woman will receive ₹2,500 per month as financial assistance. The scheme will usher in a new chapter of financial security and self-reliance for lakhs of women,” she said.

The chief minister added that the scheme had been approved within just over a year of the BJP government assuming office. “The government had been formed with the blessings of the people and will continue to work in the interest of the public and the welfare of women,” she said.

Applications for the scheme will open through an online portal on August 1, with the government targeting the release of the first instalment on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan after scrutiny of applications.

The government also finalised the manner in which the monthly assistance can be received. Beneficiaries will have two options. Under the first, ₹1,500 will be deposited every month in a recurring deposit or fixed deposit account while the remaining ₹1,000 will be transferred to a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) digital rupee wallet. Spending through the digital wallet will be restricted to government-approved goods and services under a prescribed negative list.

The negative list of a wallet usually includes numbers that are associated with frauds or scams (so payments cannot be made to such numbers that are on the negative list).

The second option allows beneficiaries to receive the entire ₹2,500 by way of an RD or FD, with the government describing it as a mechanism to encourage long-term savings. Under both options, beneficiaries will not be able to withdraw cash.

According to the approved guidelines, beneficiaries will also be encouraged to ensure school enrolment of children, creation of APAAR and ABHA IDs, timely immunisation, and registration on the POSHAN Tracker.

The scheme also seeks to promote participation in campaigns such as ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’, Swachh Bharat Mission, and efforts against single-use plastic, while encouraging women to join self-help groups and skill development programmes.

The government said applications will be processed entirely online through the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana portal.