Following Mamata’s steps, BJP-led Delhi govt rolls out cash assistance scheme for women

Kolkata: After Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Delhi government has now followed the Mamata Banerjee-led Bengal government’s footsteps as it approved the Mahila Samridhi Yojana. Under the scheme, eligible women beneficiaries will receive Rs 2,500 every month after they register on a government portal.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had started a ground breaking initiative in 2021 when she launched the ‘Lakhsmhir Bhandar’ scheme. Later on, several state governments have picked up the ‘Lakhsmir Bhandar’ like scheme for a better social economic growth of the women members of the family.

Delhi has now joined a growing list of states that have some form of cash assistance geared towards women. After the Bengal government had introduced the scheme in 2021, the Maharashtra government launched the Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme in 2024 while the Madhya Pradesh government launched Mukhyamantri Ladli Bahna Yojana in 2023.

It offers a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,250 to women beneficiaries aged 21-60 with annual family income less than Rs 2.5 lakh. After the BJP’s electoral victory in the Assembly elections in 2023, the CM Mohan Yadav-led government boosted the allocation to Rs 18,984 crore in its 2024 Budget, up from Rs 8,000 crore in the previous year.

Karnataka’s Congress government launched the Gruhalakshmi scheme in 2023, under which women head of families get Rs 2,000 as monthly financial assistance.

There are over 1.25 crore beneficiaries under the scheme and the state government earmarked more than Rs 28,000 crore for fiscal year 2024-25, after releasing Rs 17,000 crore the previous year.

Tamil Nadu government in 2023 had introduced Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam. Women family heads get a monthly grant of Rs 1,000 under the scheme which was inaugurated by CM MK Stalin.

The Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government launched the Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojana in 2024. Nearly 50 lakh eligible beneficiaries aged 18-50 are receiving the benefits.

After coming to power the Mamata Banerjee government laid special focus on empowering women of Bengal by providing allowance under its ‘Lakshmi Bhandar’ scheme. Under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, about 2.11 crore women were

getting benefits.