New Delhi, August 3, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday criticised the BJP-led Delhi Government over the eligibility conditions imposed under the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana, alleging that the restrictions would prevent a large number of women from benefiting from the scheme.
Kejriwal compared the Delhi scheme with the Punjab Government’s Maawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana, claiming that the AAP-led government in Punjab had not imposed similar conditions and provided benefits to all eligible women without discrimination.
Reacting to questions on the scheme’s eligibility criteria, Kejriwal said the requirement of 10 years of residence in Delhi and approval from an MP or MLA indicated that the government was not genuinely seeking to extend benefits to ordinary women.
He alleged that the conditions would significantly reduce the number of beneficiaries and claimed that fewer than 10 per cent of women in Delhi may be able to access the scheme because of the restrictions.
“In Punjab, we did not impose any such conditions. If there are four women in a household, all four receive the benefit. We did not differentiate on the basis of income, caste or any other category,” Kejriwal said.
The AAP leader said that if the Delhi Government’s intentions were genuine, it should remove the restrictions and ensure that the scheme reaches all women who are eligible.
He alleged that the conditions were aimed at limiting the scheme’s reach and turning it into a political exercise rather than a welfare initiative.
Kejriwal said the Punjab model demonstrated that welfare schemes could be implemented without unnecessary barriers and urged the Delhi Government to follow a similar approach.
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