Bharat Progress Report 2024: Delhi Government Rolls Out Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana With Monthly Stipend Of ₹2,100

The Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, a financial aid program designed to support women in the capital, has been formally launched by the Delhi government, which is led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Later, former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal declared that the monthly stipend under the scheme would now be ₹2,100 instead of the ₹1,000 that was first suggested.

The program, which was unveiled in the Delhi Budget 2024–2025, has been allotted ₹2,000 crore and is anticipated to help approximately 45 lakh women. However, because the model code of conduct for elections is about to take effect, the first installment of the stipend is probably not going to be credited until after the Delhi Assembly elections in February 2025.

Eligibility Criteria

The Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana is open to women residents of Delhi who meet the following conditions:

• Residency: Must have a voter ID with a Delhi address.
• Age: Must be at least 18 years old as of December 12, 2024

Exclusions

Women who fall under these categories are not eligible

• Beneficiaries of other government social security schemes
• Income tax payers during the previous assessment year.
• Employees of the central, state, or local governments.
• Current or former public representatives such as MPs, MLAs, or council members.

Required Documents

Applicants must provide the following:

1. Aadhaar card
2. Voter ID with a Delhi address
3. Proof of age, such as a PAN card, birth certificate, or high school certificate.

How to Register

Registration for the scheme will open in the next 10-15 days, according to Delhi CM Atishi. The application process will be conducted online via the Delhi government’s e-district portal, which currently hosts other services like income certificates, old age pensions, and widow pensions.

The scheme’s implementation will depend on the announcement of Delhi Assembly election dates by the Election Commission. The government aims to disburse at least one or two instalments of the stipend to beneficiaries before March 31, 2025.

Mr. Kejriwal addressed delays in the roll-out, attributing them to his arrest earlier this year in connection with the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22. After being granted conditional bail by the Supreme Court in September, Mr. Kejriwal stepped down as Chief Minister and was succeeded by Atishi.

“After I came back, I, along with CM Atishi, have been working hard to implement this scheme,” said Mr. Kejriwal.

The BJP criticised the move of the government, terming the announcement an election-eve gimmick. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva alleged the AAP government missed the promised deadline of September as it was floated by Mr. Kejriwal in his campaign for the Lok Sabha election.

While the scheme is meant to provide much-needed finance for women, the Finance Department has expressed concern over the cost-effectiveness of it all. According to The Hindu, which accessed the note by the Cabinet, placing such a plan in force could impose a “heavy burden” on the state exchequer, in turn risking a blow-out of the budget to deficits.

Atishi supported her scheme by terming the measure “very critical in empowering women of the city.”.

The AAP government hopes that the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana will garner support from voters, especially women, in the February 2025 Delhi Assembly elections.

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