Arvind Kejriwal alleged that not even 10% of Delhi’s women would be able to avail of the scheme.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of imposing “restrictive” eligibility rules under the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana to limit the number of women eligible for the scheme’s monthly assistance of ₹2,500.He alleged that with the number of restrictions imposed, “not even 10% of Delhi’s women” would be able to avail of the scheme.On August 1, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had opened registrations for the scheme. Applicants must obtain an endorsement letter from the MLA or MP of their constituency. Only one woman from each family is eligible to receive the monthly aid.“It is clear that they want to extend this benefit only to BJP supporters. The conditions they have imposed, including the requirement of 10 years’ residence and approval from their MP or MLA, show that their intention is not to provide the benefit but merely to play politics,” Mr. Kejriwal said.‘No exclusion in Punjab’He claimed that the AAP government in Punjab had not imposed any such conditions and that if there were four women in a household, all of them received the assistance.“We made no distinction between the rich and the poor or on the basis of caste. Just as we are extending the benefit to everyone in Punjab with a clear and honest intent, they should do the same in Delhi if their intentions are genuine,” he said.Delhi secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Anurag Saxena also alleged that the scheme is not for women’s economic empowerment, but a “political deception” aimed at excluding a large section of poor women from receiving assistance.“The eligibility conditions and mandatory documentation make it evident that the scheme has been deliberately designed to restrict rather than expand access to benefits. The most objectionable provision is the requirement that every applicant must obtain a recommendation from the local MP or MLA,” Mr. Saxena said.Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor had earlier said it was the previous AAP government in Delhi that made the recommendation of MLAs mandatory for some schemes in 2018.He had also asserted that the BJP government will ensure that every eligible woman resident of Delhi receives the benefits of the scheme within the next three years. Published - August 04, 2026 01:01 am IST
