As the latest addition to the list of freebies, the Delhi Government announced the launch of the Mukyamantri Mahila Samman Yojna which provides Rs 1,000 per month for women above the age of 18 from FY 2024-25. Finance Minister Atishi Marlena announced this scheme during the budget presentation in the Delhi Assembly on March 4, 2024, which saw an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore. Mukyamantri Mahila Samman Yojna has been allocated Rs 2,000 crore and Atishi said the government is trying to realise the dream of "Ram Rajya" with this budget.
Though the scheme is operational from FY 2024-25 that starts from April 2024, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, said the process of enrollment will start after Lok Sabha elections, which means after May 2024.
Atishi Marlena said, “Whenever a daughter or sister in our families comes home, her elder brother or father gives her some money because they want their sister or daughter to fulfil her needs without being dependent on anyone. Today, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, fulfilling the duty of being an elder brother and a son, is bringing the ‘Mukyamantri Mahila Samman Yojna’ in the year 2024-25.”
“Under this scheme, every woman above the age of 18 will be eligible to receive an honorarium of Rs 1,000 per month. So, whether she is a daughter studying in college needing extra books, a daughter preparing for a government job needing coaching, or a woman wishing to watch a movie in a cinema hall, now they will not have to ask for money from anyone for their expenses because their brother Arvind Kejriwal will provide them with Rs 1,000 every month,” she added.
Only those women aged above 18 will get the benefit if they have a Delhi voter ID card. According to the final electoral roll of Delhi published in January this year, there are 67,30,371 female voters in the national capital.
The following riders have been outlined for eligibility. Women who are taxpayers, pension recipients, and government employees are excluded from the scheme. Also, those already benefiting from existing Delhi government initiatives are excluded.
Thus, individuals working in the unorganized sector and homemakers without access to any government pension prior to application to this scheme remain eligible.
To access the benefits of this scheme, eligible women must apply with documents, including Aadhar, PAN, and bank account details, along with their voter ID card, Atishi said. Kejriwal said, "Women will have to give a self-declaration. The process will start after the elections (Lok Sabha elections)."
