Delhi govt set to roll out women’s ₹2,500 monthly aid scheme portal on June 1

The proposed welfare programme is expected to cover women above 18 years of age belonging to families with an annual income of less than ₹2.5 lakh.

The Delhi government is likely to launch the portal for Mukhyamantri Mahila Samriddhi Yojana, a scheme to provide ₹2,500 monthly financial assistance to eligible women beneficiaries, on June 1, officials aware of the development said on Sunday. This was one of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s key poll promises in the 2025 elections in the city.

According to officials, the proposed welfare programme is expected to cover families with an annual income of less than ₹2.5 lakh (@BJP4Delhi)

“The scheme was earlier announced as the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, but the government is now considering rebranding it as Dilli Lakshmi Yojana ahead of the formal launch of the portal. The portal is expected to enable online registration and verification of applicants,” an official said on condition of anonymity. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, in her maiden Budget last year, had announced an allocation of ₹5,100 crore for the implementation of the scheme.

According to officials, the proposed welfare programme is expected to cover women above 18 years of age belonging to families with an annual income of less than ₹2.5 lakh in the Capital. Several eligibility conditions, however, are being finalised to streamline the beneficiary list, including that the applicant should not own a vehicle, not be employed in a government job, or not be receiving benefits under any other government pension scheme.

Officials also said that only one woman per family will be eligible for the scheme.

The women will have to furnish an income certificate along with other documents, including their Aadhaar. They will also submit an undertaking to the effect. The discussion on the scheme will come up in Delhi Cabinet soon, officials said.

Another official said the government is likely to make a formal announcement regarding the launch of the portal and the scheme roll-out in the coming weeks.

The move is part of the Rekha Gupta government’s efforts to roll out a flagship social welfare initiative targeted at women in the city. Officials said discussions are underway on the final documentation requirements and verification mechanisms to prevent duplication and ensure wider coverage.

According to government estimates, the number of potential beneficiaries could be substantial. Delhi currently has more than 1,778,000 ration card holders, and officials believe the final number of beneficiaries may fall within a similar range.

The delay in rolling out the scheme has drawn political attention, given that the programme was prominently featured in the BJP’s election campaign in Delhi.

Addressing concerns over the delay in an interview to HT in February this year, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had said the government was scrutinising beneficiary lists to ensure broader inclusion and adequate financial planning before implementation.

“We realised that most welfare schemes are linked to ration cards and the same set of beneficiaries avail all these scheme benefits. We are trying to define the eligibility in a way that the scope is widened,” Gupta had said.

Officials said the government aims to create a transparent digital registration process through the proposed portal, which is expected to facilitate application submission, document uploading, and verification of eligibility criteria before beneficiaries are approved under the scheme.