Arvind Kejriwal
Credit: PTI
New Delhi: With cash transfer to women appear to be determining poll outcomes in recent elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday announced the launch of ‘Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojna’ that gives Rs 1,000 a month to women in capital while promising that it would be raised to Rs 2,100 after Assembly elections.
However, he clarified that the money may not be landing in the accounts of eligible women as elections are likely to be announced in the next two weeks. He said though the Delhi Cabinet has cleared the Rs 1,000 per month proposal, the amount to be deposited would be Rs 2,100 after elections.
Kejriwal’s latest move, which was announced in the budget when he was Chief Minister but could not be launched as he was jailed in an alleged corruption case, comes close on the heels of recent electoral victories of parties in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Karnataka.
“Today our government has started a scheme to give Rs 1,000 to every woman of Delhi. After the elections, we will give Rs 2,100 every month to all our mothers and sisters of Delhi in their accounts,” Kejriwal said at a public meeting of women organised by AAP. Atishi and other AAP women leaders were present.
“While the BJP calls it free 'revdis' (freebies), I see it as a step towards strengthening our society. The BJP asks from where the money will come, but I said we will give free electricity, and we did it. I want to tell the BJP that I am a magician, I know where to get money from, where to save it, and where to spend it. If I make a promise, I will fulfil it,” he said.
A recent study by PRS Legislative Research showed that nine states have budgeted around Rs one lakh crore, including Delhi which has earmarked Rs 2,000 crore, on implementing largely unconditional cash transfer schemes for women beneficiaries. Karnataka is estimated to spend around Rs 28,000 crore on such cash transfers, it said.
Earlier in the day, a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Delhi Chief Minister Atishi gave its nod for the budget proposal of Rs 1,000 per month for women beneficiaries.
He said the decision to increase the cash transfer from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,100 was taken after women told him that the initially proposed amount was less considering inflation. He said AAP workers would be visiting houses to get women registered for the scheme.
Expressing confidence that AAP would perform magnificently in the polls, he said, “if all women work together, we will secure more than 60 seats.”