Monthly `1,000 scheme for women rollout expected by Sept-Oct: Atishi

Delhi finance minister Atishi on Tuesday said that the ‘Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana,’ under which an amount of `1,000 will be given to adult women, will empower both—the women and the economy of the city.

Meanwhile, in an interview with this newspaper, the Delhi minister spoke about the city government’s new Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana and other major highlights of the budget.

Underlining that despite being a Metro city women’s participation in the workforce is very low in Delhi, she said that the most powerful way for women empowerment is that women should have money hands.

“The person who earns money is the decisionmaker in most families. If a woman gets money directly in her bank account, she would have the right to make a decision about that money.

On being asked about the funds, Ms Atishi said, “We have sufficient funds for the scheme. The AAP-led Delhi government is the only state government that doesn’t run into a fiscal deficit in India. We on their have a surplus budget in Delhi.”

“The notification for the scheme will take place after the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha polls ends. Afterwards, some formalities will have to be done and possibly by September-October the first deposits of the honorarium will begin,” Ms Atishi told on the roll-out of the scheme.

Another key scheme that will be rolled out in the 2024-25 fiscal year is the second phase of the ‘Business Blasters’ scheme in Delhi government-run universities.

Ms Atishi said that the scheme has already been passed and might get notified before the Model Code of Conduct for the polls comes into effect.

As the proposed outlay of `76,000 crore for the current fiscal year is a decline from `78,800 crore in the last year, Ms Atishi said, “Last year’s budget’s revised estimate stood at `74,900 crore. There has been an increase in the budget estimate for 202425, which is `76,000 crore. There is no money from the Central pool of taxes to Delhi.”

She added further that there are two stages of financial devolution— Centre to states and states to local bodies.

The person who earns money is the decision maker and in most of the families. If a woman gets money directly in her bank account, then she would have the right to make the decision about that money.

— Atishi,

finance minister