Ahead of the assembly elections, the Delhi cabinet, on Thursday, approved the ‘Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana’ with a provision for a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000 per month to all eligible women in the city.

The announcement to this effect was made after a cabinet meeting following a promise Arvind Kejriwal made at an event here at the party headquarters. The AAP’s national convenor also promised to increase the amount to Rs 2,100 after the assembly polls in the national capital due early next year.

The AAP chief said, “Today, I am going to make two big announcements both of which are for the mothers and sisters of Delhi. We had promised to transfer Rs 1,000 every month to the accounts of women. Today, it was approved by the cabinet. The women aspiring for the stipend will have to register themselves for the scheme. Those who have already registered their names will start receiving the Rs 1,000 stipend every month.”

“We were supposed to start the scheme last April, but some people sent me to jail in a trumped-up case. After coming out spending I 6-7 months in jail, I joined Atishi (the incumbent Delhi chief minister) to implement this scheme, and today it has, finally, been implemented. This scheme won’t cost much but will prove a blessing for the Delhi government.”

Responding to the doubts raised by the Opposition over the scheme, he said, “BJP people say where the money will come from. They used to say the same thing when we first talked about free electricity in 2013, but we made it. I am a magician, and I know how to run accounts. I know from where the money will come, you need not worry about it.”

Chief Minister Atishi wrote on X, “Arvind Kejriwal had promised that every woman in Delhi would receive a monthly amount of Rs 1,000. Today, the Delhi government has fulfilled this promise”.

“Now, Arvind Kejriwal has promised that if the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) returns to power, every woman in Delhi will receive a monthly amount of Rs 2,100 and this is Kejriwal’s guarantee, and it will be fulfilled,” read the post.

Commenting on the announcement in a post on X, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chaddha said, “Arvind Kejriwal has given a unique gift to the females of the city by giving money in their hands. The government is committed to the welfare of women whether it is free bus service or Mahila Samman Yojana.”

“Congratulations to the mothers and sisters on the implementation of this scheme. The country will progress only when its women progress,” he added.

The announcement was made during the budget session of the Delhi government on March 4 by then-finance minister Atishi.

She had said under this scheme, every woman above the age of 18 years would be eligible to receive an honorarium of Rs 1,000 per month and 2,000 crore has been earmarked for the scheme.