Delhi Lakshmi Yojana: CM Rekha Gupta hails scheme as 4 lakh women register
Synopsis
Delhi's Lakshmi Yojana has crossed four lakh registrations in its first week, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta personally visiting camps and signing beneficiary forms. The ₹2,500 monthly transfer scheme is shaping up as the BJP-led Delhi government's most visible post-election delivery — and a pointed political contrast with its predecessor.
Key Takeaways
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta addressed women beneficiaries at the Delhi Assembly on 7 August , reaffirming the government's commitment to the scheme.
The Delhi Lakshmi Yojana , launched on 1 August , offers eligible women a monthly financial assistance of ₹2,500 .
Nearly four lakh registrations have been completed within the scheme's first week.
Gupta visited a registration camp in Shalimar Bagh on Thursday, assisting women with enrolment and signing application forms.
Delhi Minister Ashish Sood contrasted the scheme with the opposition's governance record, drawing a sharp political line.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday, 7 August received a warm reception from women beneficiaries at the Delhi Assembly, as the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana — which promises a monthly financial assistance of ₹2,500 to eligible women — recorded nearly four lakh registrations since its launch on 1 August. The Chief Minister reaffirmed her government's commitment to women's empowerment and economic security across the national capital.
What the Chief Minister Said
Addressing the gathering, Gupta expressed satisfaction at the scheme's early uptake and invoked the government's pre-election promise. 'Today, I am happy for the women of Delhi, whose happiness knows no bounds. I am glad that we have been able to fulfil the promise that the Delhi government made to the women of Delhi. I promise every woman that for their empowerment and security, this Chief Minister and our government will always stand with them,' she said.
The remarks came a day after Gupta visited a Delhi Lakshmi Yojana registration camp in Shalimar Bagh on Thursday, where she interacted directly with beneficiaries, assisted with the registration process, and signed application forms for several women.
Political Dimensions of the Scheme
Delhi Minister Ashish Sood used the occasion to draw a sharp contrast between the ruling dispensation and the opposition. Invoking a popular web-series dialogue, Sood said: 'Today, within one year, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the leadership of Rekha ji, the way has been opened for Delhi's sisters to receive ₹2,500. Those who display their IIT degrees and run Punjab through remote control have, until just three or four months before elections, spoken about women's empowerment only for vote-bank politics. There is a sharp difference between these two models of governance.'
The remarks were widely seen as a pointed reference to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had previously governed Delhi and continues to lead Punjab.
Key Details of Delhi Lakshmi Yojana
The Delhi Lakshmi Yojana, launched on 1 August, provides eligible women in Delhi with a monthly cash transfer of ₹2,500. The scheme is being positioned by the Delhi government as a structural step toward financial independence for women in the capital. As of 7 August, nearly four lakh women had completed registrations, reflecting significant early demand.
The government has stated its intent to ensure that every eligible beneficiary can access the registration process without barriers, with camps being set up across the city to facilitate enrolment.
Ground Response and What Comes Next
Women at both the Delhi Assembly gathering and the Shalimar Bagh camp expressed confidence that election promises were being translated into action. Many beneficiaries cited the scheme as a tangible signal of the government's intent.
This comes amid a broader national pattern of state governments — across party lines — rolling out direct benefit transfers targeted at women ahead of and after electoral cycles. The Delhi government is expected to scale up registration drives in the coming weeks to meet its coverage targets.
Point of View
But the harder test for the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana lies in sustained disbursement — not enrolment optics. Cash transfer schemes across Indian states have repeatedly stumbled at the delivery stage, with eligibility disputes and banking infrastructure gaps eroding actual reach. Chief Minister Gupta's personal presence at camps and form-signing is politically effective, but the government has yet to publish a clear beneficiary verification framework. Minister Sood's barb at AAP also signals that this scheme is as much an electoral narrative as a welfare instrument — a dynamic that could complicate its long-term credibility if disbursements lag registrations.
NationPress
7 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana?
The Delhi Lakshmi Yojana is a monthly cash transfer scheme launched on 1 August by the Delhi government, under which eligible women receive ₹2,500 per month. It is aimed at promoting financial independence and economic security for women across the national capital.
How many women have registered for the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana so far?
Nearly four lakh women had completed registrations as of 7 August, within the scheme's first week of operation. The government has set up camps across the city, including in Shalimar Bagh, to facilitate enrolment.
Who is eligible for the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana?
The scheme targets eligible women residents of Delhi, though the government has not publicly detailed the full eligibility criteria in the available information. The Delhi government has stated its intent to ensure the registration process remains accessible to all eligible beneficiaries.
What did CM Rekha Gupta say about the scheme?
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said she was happy to see the response among women in Delhi and reiterated the government's commitment. She stated: 'I promise every woman that for their empowerment and security, this Chief Minister and our government will always stand with them.'
How does the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana compare to similar schemes in other states?
Several Indian states have rolled out direct benefit transfers targeting women, often timed around electoral cycles. The Delhi scheme's ₹2,500 monthly figure is broadly comparable to similar initiatives in other BJP and opposition-governed states, though the scale of early registrations in Delhi — four lakh in one week — reflects significant pent-up demand.
