Overview
- The scheme, launched on August 1, offers Rs 2,500 a month to women aged 21–60 and has already recorded about 5.92 lakh registrations in its first 10 days, the government says.
- Registrations will remain open until 17 lakh women are enrolled under an initial three-year plan and the first instalment is expected around August 28.
- Official rules bar applicants with more than three children and households using over 2,400 units of power a year and reportedly require a minimum of 10 years’ Delhi residency plus a recommendation from the local MP or MLA, which critics say could block access.
- Opposition AAP legislators protested the rollout in the Delhi Assembly and staged a walkout on August 10 while the chief minister defended the scheme and urged respectful treatment of applicants seeking signatures.
- The government says the Rs 5,100 crore allocation will cover the initial phase and that officials may expand the programme after three years depending on demand and delivery performance, making near-term rollout and payment transfers the key things to watch.