"Every eligible woman...": Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on Rs 2,500 aid

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday said every eligible woman should benefit from the Mahila Samridhi Scheme, offering a monthly assistance of Rs 2,500. 

“And once it starts, it should continue,” she said in her first in-depth interview with a news agency since assuming office. 

Gupta detailed the procedural steps required to implement the scheme, which was a key promise in the BJP’s manifesto for the 2025 Delhi Assembly Elections.

“This is not a procedure where I have the money in hand and have to give it immediately. The budget has been announced, and we have made a provision of Rs 5,100 crore,” she told PTI Editor-in-Chief Vijay Joshi. 

Gupta further explained that the rollout involves multiple stages, including the formation of the scheme, setting eligibility conditions, launching a portal, registration, scrutiny, and finally disbursing the funds. 

She emphasised that the allowance is not a one-time payment but a recurring monthly benefit for eligible women. “We don’t want any eligible person to be left out. Every eligible woman should benefit from this scheme, and once it starts, it should continue,” she added.

VIDEO | EXCLUSIVE: In an exclusive interview with PTI Editor-in-Chief Vijay Joshi, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta (@gupta_rekha) speaks on the BJP's Rs 2,500 promise for women in Delhi. She says:

“This is not a procedure where I have the money in hand and have to give it… pic.twitter.com/mte0FHpp8S

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 10, 2025

The Mahila Samridhi Scheme was announced by BJP national president JP Nadda on January 17, 2025, as part of the party’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ manifesto for the Delhi elections. 

The BJP promised to provide Rs 2,500 per month to women, alongside other benefits such as a Rs 500 subsidy on LPG cylinders and Rs 21,000 for pregnant women. The party committed to rolling out the scheme in its first cabinet meeting if elected, a pledge that helped the BJP return to power in Delhi after 27 years.

However, the scheme’s implementation has faced delays. 

On February 21, 2025, Gupta announced that the first instalment of the Rs 2,500 allowance would be credited to women’s accounts by March 8. 

This delay has drawn criticism from opposition leaders, including Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Atishi, who on February 21 accused the BJP of “cheating the women of Delhi” by failing to deliver on its promise during the first cabinet meeting on February 20, 2025.

Gupta’s administration has also prioritised other initiatives since taking office. 

During her first cabinet meeting on February 20, 2025, the Delhi government announced the implementation of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, which includes a Rs 5 lakh top-up facility, and the tabling of 14 pending CAG reports in the Delhi Assembly. 

Additionally, Gupta has reiterated her commitment to cleaning the Yamuna River, a promise she underscored by performing a Yamuna Aarti with her ministers before the cabinet meeting.