The political fever has gripped Delhi as assembly elections in the national capital are around the corner. The polls for the 70 assembly constituencies in Delhi are due to be held in February next year. There is a direct fight between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the main Opposition party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Congress failed to make its presence in the last two elections by drawing nil. Meanwhile, ahead of the elections, Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP made a masterstroke by announcing the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana, targeting women voters. Kejriwal said the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana would be increased to Rs 2,100 if AAP retains power. Under the scheme, women get Rs 1,000 per month.
To counter AAP's announcement, the BJP has similar schemes in its book of strategies which provided electoral dividends in the elections in the several states. BJP's Mukhya Mantri Ladli Behna Yojana in Madhya Pradesh has been very successful. Experts credited this women's welfare scheme to the BJP's landslide victory in Madhya Pradesh in the assembly elections 2023.
So, if AAP has Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana, the saffron party has also a similar scheme and probably JP Nadda's party will announce in the coming days, after all, no party can afford to ignore women voters as they turned out to be decisive vote banks in the last couple of years in India.
Here is a comparison of two women's welfare schemes:
The Delhi government had announced Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana in its 2024-25 budget to provide Rs 1,000 per month to all women. Now, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal promised to increase the amount to Rs 2,100 if his party returns to power in the assembly elections.
Criteria: A woman resident of Delhi and having a voter ID with a Delhi address, is eligible for Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana.
Age: Women ages 18 and above on December 12, 2024 (date of notifying the scheme) are eligible.
Who is excluded from Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana?
Former and permanent government employees, former and current MPs, MLAs, or councillors, women who paid income tax and women already receiving pensions under schemes are not eligible for the scheme.
MP government's Mukhya Mantri Ladli Behna Yojana
Then Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the implementation of the "Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana" in the entire Madhya Pradesh on January 28 2023, in the election year.
Amount: Rs 1,250 per month is being given to women under this scheme.
What are the eligibility criteria for beneficiaries under the scheme?
All married women (including widows, divorced and deserted women) who are local residents of Madhya Pradesh and born after January 1, 1961, but till January 1, 2000.
Women whose family’s combined annual income is more than Rs 2.5 lakh will be ineligible under the scheme. If any member of the applicant’s family is an income taxpayer, then she will be ineligible under the scheme. The scheme is only for married/divorced/widow/abandoned women.
What certificates/docurments will the applicant require to avail the benefits?
To avail the benefits under the scheme, the applicant is not required to attach any certificate with the application form. The self-declaration made by the applicant in the “Information Sheet required for the application” is sufficient. The applicant must have a family Samagra ID, individual Samagra ID, Aadhaar card, own Aadhaar linked DBT enabled bank account and mobile number (on which OTP will be sent at the time of online submission of application).
Also read: Delhi elections 2025: THESE are the key issues against Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP
