Atishi seeks meeting with Delhi CM on Rs 2,500 monthly payment to women

Delhi’s new Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was on Saturday approached by her predecessor and AAP leader Atishi for a meeting to discuss the early launch of a scheme of Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance to women - a promise made by the BJP during the Assembly election campaign.

Atishi wrote on Saturday in the letter, “The first Cabinet meeting of the AAP government was held on February 20, but the Rs 2,500 per month scheme for women was not passed. The mothers and sisters of Delhi had believed in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantee and now they feel cheated.”

Atishi's letter, which appears to be a part of her party's pressure tactics, comes in the backdrop of CM Gupta announcing within a day of taking oath on February 20 that she has started discussing the nitty-gritty of the scheme that would ensure that money starts landing in bank accounts of women beneficiaries before March 8 – International Women’s Day.

The AAP leader wrote in her letter, “The Aam Aadmi Party's legislature party wants to meet you and discuss this issue tomorrow on February 23.”

Asking CM Gupta to confirm the appointment, she wrote, “I humbly request you on behalf of lakhs of women of Delhi to take some time out of your busy schedule and give us an opportunity to meet you, so that we can present our point of view before you for concrete action on this scheme.”

Justifying the need for a meeting, Atishi wrote in her letter that PM Modi promised the mothers and sisters of Delhi during a BJP rally in Dwarka on January 31, 2025 that after the formation of the BJP government, a scheme of Rs 2,500 per month will be passed for them in the very first Cabinet meeting.

Earlier, Delhi’s Home and Power Minister Ashish Sood hit out at the AAP for alleging that the BJP government was dragging its feet on the promise of paying Rs 2,500 per month to women.

“Chief Minister Rekha Gupta is working with alacrity on the issue, and you will hear about the progress on this front soon,” Sood told IANS.

“The BJP does not make false promises like the AAP. The formalities of the scheme are being discussed by the CM,” he said.

While chairing her first Cabinet meeting, CM Gupta also approved a 100-day plan, decided to clean the Yamuna and develop the riverfront, gave a nod to table pending CAG reports in the Assembly and gave its approval for the introduction of Central-government funded Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) that offers a health cover to each family.