Delhi Introduces Rs 1,000 Monthly Stipend for Women, Mirroring Madhya Pradesh’s ‘Ladli Behna’ Scheme
4th March 2024The Delhi government unveiled a groundbreaking initiative, offering Rs 1,000 per month to all women above 18 years in the national capital, reminiscent of a program initiated in Madhya Pradesh last year. Delhi Finance Minister Atishi presented a budget of Rs 76,000 crore today, including provisions for the Mukhyamantri Samman Yojna, aimed at empowering women.
Similar to Madhya Pradesh’s Ladli Behna Yojana launched by the previous Shivraj Singh Chouhan government, wherein women from lower- and middle-class backgrounds received a monthly transfer of Rs 1,000, Delhi’s new scheme echoes this empowerment endeavor.
Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hailed the initiative as “the biggest step in empowering women in the world,” emphasizing the transformative impact of financial empowerment on gender parity.
The budget, the 10th under the Kejriwal-led government, allocates Rs 16,396 crore, 21% of the total, to the education sector, marking a substantial increase since 2014-2015. This surge facilitated the recruitment of 47,914 regular teachers in government schools, with additional recruitment underway.
Atishi highlighted the transformative shift in education dynamics, where girls from government schools in Delhi are excelling in prestigious exams like IIT and NEET, previously dominated by their private school counterparts.
The budget also earmarks Rs 8,685 crore for Delhi’s health sector, with significant investments in infrastructure, Mohalla clinics, essential medicines, and hospital expansions. Atishi lauded former Health Minister Satyendar Jain’s contributions, equating him to Lord Hanuman for revitalizing Delhi’s healthcare system.
Delhi’s economic prowess is evident, contributing over double its population share to the national GDP. With a Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) surge from Rs 4.95 lakh crore in 2014-2015 to an estimated Rs 11.08 lakh crore in 2024-2025, accompanied by a near-doubling of per capita income, the city’s economic trajectory remains robust.
Capital expenditure allocation soared from Rs 7,430 crore to Rs 15,089 crore, paralleled by income growth from Rs 30,940 crore to Rs 76,000 crore over the past decade.
Delhi’s budget underscores its commitment to inclusive growth, reflected in initiatives aimed at education, healthcare, and women’s empowerment, propelling the city towards sustained economic and social development.
