The Delhi Lakshmi Yojana has achieved a remarkable milestone with over 5 lakh registrations recorded by Saturday afternoon, significantly surpassing the initial 1.45 lakh registrations within just two days of the online portal's launch on August 1, 2026. According to Mint reports, the portal recorded 4.87 lakh registrations and 1.99 lakh submitted applications by 8 PM on Friday, with registrations surging overnight and during early Saturday hours. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the official portal for this direct benefit transfer scheme, which targets women with annual family income not exceeding ₹2.5 lakh. The Delhi government has allocated ₹5,110 crore for the scheme's implementation in the 2026-27 budget, with the government preparing to transfer the first installment to eligible women's bank accounts on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan.
The scheme targets women who are permanent residents of Delhi and fall within the 21-60 years age bracket. As per the latest updates, eligible women must have an annual family income not exceeding ₹2.5 lakh and be the eldest member in the family. The application process requires applicants to obtain a recommendation letter signed by their local MLA or MP, with a dedicated section added to the application form requiring this signature to improve transparency and involve public representatives. Applicants must upload several documents including Aadhaar card for identity verification, Delhi residence proof, Aadhaar-linked bank account details for Direct Benefit Transfer, passport size photograph, active mobile number, and income-related documents. The registration process involves visiting the official Delhi Lakshmi Yojana portal at https://dly.delhi.gov.in, filling online forms with personal details, uploading mandatory documents, and submitting the application for future tracking. According to Mint, only one woman from each family will be eligible to receive benefits under the scheme, with the elder woman receiving preference if multiple women are present in the family.
Beneficiaries have two payment options for the monthly assistance. Under the first option, ₹1,500 will be deposited into a recurring deposit (RD) or fixed deposit (FD), while the remaining ₹1,000 will be credited to a Digital Rupee wallet for approved goods and services. Alternatively, women may choose to have the entire ₹2,500 deposited into an RD or FD, which aims to encourage long-term savings and capital creation. The recurring deposit will have a three-year lock-in period, after which the accumulated amount plus interest will be credited to the beneficiary's bank account. This payment structure ensures that women receive immediate financial support while building long-term savings. The scheme provides a sovereign guarantee on the savings cum fixed deposit scheme, adding an extra layer of security for beneficiaries.
Several categories are excluded from the scheme including women who pay income tax or file GST returns, those receiving benefits under government pension schemes, government employees, families with members employed by Central or State government, PSUs, or government organisations, families with more than three living children, and families owning a four-wheeler. The scheme also excludes applicants who have criminal antecedents or criminal records and those with annual electricity consumption exceeding 2,400 units. The Delhi Lakshmi Yojana was one of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) key election promises during the Delhi Assembly elections, demonstrating strong political commitment to women's financial empowerment. These exclusions ensure the scheme targets economically disadvantaged women in Delhi while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal has accused the BJP government of imposing "restrictive" eligibility rules under the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana to limit the number of women eligible for the scheme's monthly assistance of ₹2,500. According to The Times of India, Kejriwal alleged that with the number of restrictions imposed, "not even 10% of Delhi's women" would be able to avail of the scheme. He claimed that the AAP government in Punjab had not imposed such conditions and that if there were four women in a household, all of them received the assistance. Kejriwal stated that "it is clear that they want to extend this benefit only to BJP supporters" and criticized the conditions including the requirement of 10 years' residence and approval from their MP or MLA. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Delhi secretary Anurag Saxena also alleged that the scheme is not for women's economic empowerment but a "political deception" aimed at excluding a large section of poor women from receiving assistance.
