The Delhi government on Friday rolled out the online registration portal for the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana, a welfare initiative designed to provide monthly financial assistance to women from economically weaker households.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta formally launched the platform and said the scheme aims to improve the economic security of women across the national capital. The government has earmarked ₹5,100 crore for the programme in the current budget.

"The objective of the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana is to strengthen the financial position of women in Delhi. Registrations have begun, and hundreds of women have already enrolled," Gupta said at the launch event held at the East Delhi district magistrate's office.

The scheme, which was approved by the Delhi cabinet earlier this week, fulfils one of the Bharatiya Janata Party's major promises made during the 2025 Assembly election campaign.

Eligibility criteria

Women aged between 21 and 60 years can apply if their family's annual income does not exceed ₹2.5 lakh.

However, several groups have been kept outside the scheme's ambit. Applicants will not qualify if they are already receiving benefits under other government pension or financial assistance programmes, are income taxpayers, government employees, or belong to families that own four-wheelers.

Households consuming more than 2,400 units of electricity annually are also excluded. In addition, women with more than three living children or families with a member facing criminal proceedings will not be eligible.

Only one beneficiary from each family—the eldest eligible woman—can avail of the benefits.

Two payment models

The scheme offers beneficiaries a choice between two different methods for receiving the monthly assistance.

Under the first option, ₹1,000 will be transferred every month to a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) wallet for day-to-day expenses, while the remaining ₹1,500 will be deposited in a recurring deposit or fixed deposit account.

The second option allows women to invest the entire ₹2,500 amount in an RD or FD account every month to encourage long-term savings.

The government has also imposed restrictions on the use of funds credited to CBDC wallets. The money cannot be spent on alcohol, tobacco products, narcotics, gambling, betting or lottery purchases.

Application and verification process

The entire programme will operate through a digital platform that will manage registration, document submission, eligibility checks and fund transfers. Applicants will receive updates through SMS notifications at different stages of the process.

Authorities said every application will undergo a four-tier verification mechanism involving district officials and approval committees. Checks will include verification of Aadhaar details, voter registration, income records, electricity consumption, vehicle ownership and government employment status.

Officials warned that applicants found submitting false information may face legal consequences and could be required to refund any benefits received under the scheme.

To qualify, either the applicant or her parents or spouse must have lived in Delhi for at least 10 years. The applicant must also be registered as a voter in the national capital.

The government said beneficiaries would also be connected to other welfare initiatives related to healthcare, nutrition, entrepreneurship and skill development to promote long-term financial stability.

Eligible women can now register online by uploading the required documents and selecting their preferred payment mode.