Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Thursday that the Delhi government is actively preparing to implement the Mahila Samriddhi Yojna, a welfare scheme promising Rs 2,500 monthly assistance to eligible women in the national capital. Speaking at the Express Adda event hosted by The Indian Express, Gupta said the policy is in its final stages and will be launched “very soon”.
Highlighting challenges faced in enrolling new beneficiaries, the Chief Minister said that no new ration cards have been issued in the city in the last 12 to 14 years, making it difficult to expand welfare coverage. “We want to ensure a foolproof rollout so that even eligible women without ration cards are not left out,” she added.
Ahead of the February 2025 Assembly elections, the BJP had made this monthly assistance a key poll promise aimed at supporting women from economically weaker backgrounds. Gupta stated that her government has already allocated Rs 5,100 crore in the 2025–26 budget for the scheme’s implementation.
Apart from women’s welfare, CM Gupta also addressed the issue of air pollution in the capital. She noted that vehicular emissions and construction dust remain the primary contributors. In a move towards greener public transport, she announced that 150 new electric buses will be inducted into service on Friday. “By the end of this year, the electric bus fleet will touch 2,000. Within the next 1 to 1.5 years, the entire public transport fleet will transition to electric,” she said.
Reflecting on her tenure since taking oath at Ramleela Maidan on February 20, Gupta emphasized that women and youth empowerment are integral to the BJP’s ideology. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has institutionalized women’s participation through internal party reservations. Giving women decision-making power is the best way to empower them,” she said.
Gupta claimed that Delhi voters placed their trust in BJP in hopes of progress under a “double-engine government”—referring to BJP-led administrations at both Centre and state. “After four months in power, people now believe their decision has brought positive change to Delhi,” she asserted.
Marking BJP’s return to power in Delhi after 27 years, the CM said her administration is focused on both clearing the backlog of pending projects and preparing a long-term vision. “We are not just catching up with the past 27 years, but planning for the next 27 as well. Our aim is to serve Delhi in a way that the BJP remains in power for the next 50 years,” she stated.
Gupta also took a swipe at the previous AAP-led government, accusing it of being embroiled in constant confrontations with constitutional institutions. “Their politics was built on conflict—whether with the LG, Prime Minister, courts or police. Our approach is different. Today, there is harmony between the Centre, state, and MCD, working with a shared vision,” she said.
Addressing the long-standing debate over full statehood for Delhi, Gupta said it was not a priority at the moment, stressing the need to focus on more immediate issues affecting the public.
She concluded by saying that she would consider herself a successful leader only if she could relieve the suffering of Delhi’s citizens.
