Delhi Government Launches Delhi Lakshmi Yojana Cash Transfers

The Government of Delhi renamed its proposed Mahila Samriddhi Yojana to the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana, a flagship welfare program scheduled to launch on August 28 to coincide with Raksha Bandhan. The initiative fulfills a Bharatiya Janata Party campaign promise to provide eligible women with monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 via Direct Benefit Transfer.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta chaired a high-level review meeting at the Delhi Secretariat to finalize implementation frameworks and ensure a transparent, time-bound rollout. The government estimates the scheme will benefit between 20 lakh and 22 lakh women. To qualify, beneficiaries must be aged 21 to 60, have resided in Delhi for at least 10 years, and belong to a family with an annual income not exceeding Rs 2.5 lakh. Candidates must also have no criminal record.

Eligibility is limited to the eldest woman per household. The government excludes women receiving other government pensions or those from families that own a four-wheeler. In a separate measure, the administration has mandated the use of the Pink Saheli Smart Card for free travel on Delhi Transport Corporation buses beginning August 1.