BJP’s Rs 2,500 aid scheme in Delhi faces financial hurdles

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has reiterated her government’s commitment to implementing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) promise of ₹2,500 monthly financial assistance for women, as outlined in their Sankalp Patra manifesto. The first installment is expected by March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day.

However, questions loom over the financial feasibility of this initiative. Last year, the Finance Department projected that the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) plan to provide ₹1,000 per month to women would cost approximately ₹4,560 crore annually, or 6 per cent of Delhi’s 2024-25 budget of ₹76,000 crore. That proposal was estimated to benefit 38 lakh women.

The BJP’s proposed ₹2,500 per month could significantly increase costs if no exclusions, such as income limits, are implemented. “If executed without any exclusions, the scheme could require around ₹10,000 crore per year, which is about 12 per cent of the total budget. This is more than the annual budgets of several departments,” an official warned.

Amid these financial concerns, the BJP remains optimistic about securing the necessary funds. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said, “The central government had previously offered financial support for several schemes, but AAP refused them. Now that the BJP is in power, we will ensure funds are arranged, plug leakages, and eliminate corruption.”

The state’s current ₹76,000 crore budget prioritizes education with the largest allocation (22 per cent), followed by urban development (13%), healthcare (11 per cent), transport infrastructure (10 per cent), water supply and sanitation (9 per cent), and social security (9 per cent). The Finance Department previously raised concerns about a potential budget deficit due to high operational costs and a projected decline in revenues.

Economists and analysts are also questioning the scheme’s implementation, particularly regarding beneficiary selection, eligibility criteria, and funding sources. “It remains to be seen whether the BJP will adjust the eligibility criteria or how they will raise the additional ₹900 crore required annually,” noted a senior economist.

Further complicating the budgetary challenge is the anticipated cost of other welfare schemes, including a ₹4,100 crore allocation for senior citizens’ pensions. Sources estimate that the BJP government will need over ₹25,000 crore annually to fund new and ongoing initiatives, including the continuation of AAP’s free water and electricity programmes.

The Finance Department previously warned that Delhi could face a ‘revenue deficit’ for the first time in years. “That assessment was made under specific conditions, and the impact of the new schemes remains to be seen,” an official explained. With the budget scheduled for presentation in March, the BJP-led administration has limited time to finalise its funding strategy.