The Delhi Lakshmi Yojana has achieved remarkable registration success with 9,13,495 registrations received by noon on Tuesday, August 25, and 6,52,223 applications formally submitted. This represents a significant increase from the previous figures reported on August 25, demonstrating strong public interest in the welfare scheme. The Delhi government launched the application portal on August 1, indicating robust initial response to the government's 'Nari Sashaktikaran' (women empowerment) efforts. Registration remains available throughout the year, with each month's last day serving as the cut-off for applications received during that month.
The Delhi government is set to formally launch the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana on Wednesday, August 26, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta scheduled to hand over sanction letters to around 4,000 eligible women at Talkatora Stadium. According to the Chief Minister's Office, the scheme will be formally launched on August 26, with eligible women receiving their sanction letters. The monthly financial assistance under the scheme is scheduled to start from September 1, with ₹2,500 being transferred directly into beneficiaries' bank accounts every month through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The Lakshmi Yojana was one of the main poll promises of the BJP government of the 2025 Delhi election, and the government had estimated that more than 17 lakh women would benefit from the scheme, for which ₹5,100 crore was earmarked in the 2026-27 Budget. As per the Chief Minister, this scheme represents one of the largest initiatives undertaken in the national capital, reflecting a commitment to women's empowerment translated into action.
The scheme has faced significant legal challenges, with petitioners contesting multiple conditions including the requirement for a mandatory Member of Parliament or Member of Legislative Assembly endorsement during registration. Other contested conditions include the 10-year continuous residence requirement in Delhi, family size restrictions, electricity consumption limits, benefits limited to the eldest eligible woman in a household, and disqualification due to criminal antecedents. Petitioners have argued that the mandatory endorsement requirement is causing difficulties for women attempting to register. The scheme's detailed guidelines were notified by Delhi's Department of Women and Child Development on August 11. The petitioners have claimed that the original Cabinet decision did not provide for a mandatory MP/MLA endorsement and have challenged the requirement as part of the registration process.
According to the official Delhi Lakshmi Yojana portal and a cabinet note approved in July, eligible applicants must be women aged 21 to 60 years and the eldest female member of the family. The annual family income must not exceed ₹2.5 lakh, and the applicant must be a registered Delhi voter with the applicant, husband or either parent having been a Delhi resident for at least 10 years. Annual household electricity consumption during the preceding 12 months must not exceed 2,400 units. However, several exclusions apply including government pension recipients, income-tax payers, GST filers, government employees, and households owning four-wheelers. Women from families having members employed by the Centre, state governments, public sector undertakings or other government organisations will also be excluded. Families owning a four-wheeler will not be eligible, while women with a criminal record will also be excluded under the scheme.
Women who have applied can check their application status through the official Delhi Lakshmi Yojana portal using their mobile number. As reported by the Chief Minister's Office, the government has provided a facility for applicants to correct or complete missing information in their applications. The ₹2,500 assistance will not be available entirely as unrestricted cash - beneficiaries can receive ₹1,000 through a CBDC-linked account while ₹1,500 is placed in an FD or RD, or choose to put the entire amount into the deposit option. The correction facility will soon be made available on the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana portal, according to the CMO. The scheme's detailed guidelines were notified by Delhi's Department of Women and Child Development on August 11. Financial support under the scheme is intended for expenses such as medicines, education, essential household costs, and to help women build savings in their own names, enabling them to meet everyday needs and make decisions with greater confidence.
