Delhi government approves monthly assistance for women ahead of elections

The Delhi government has approved a monthly financial assistance scheme for women, starting at ₹1,000, with plans to increase it to ₹2,100 after the 2025 elections. The scheme is part of the Aam Aadmi Party's electoral strategy. Women eligible for the "Mahila Samman Yojana" must be over 18, residents of Delhi, and not income taxpayers, government employees, or pensioners. Registration for the scheme begins tomorrow, but funds will be disbursed only after the elections. The finance department has raised concerns about the scheme's financial impact, estimating an annual cost of ₹4,560 crore for around 3.8 million eligible women. Despite this, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal assured that financial constraints would not affect the rollout.