Delhi women to get Lakshmi Yojana letters from August 27, payments from September 1

Eligible women in the national capital will begin receiving official sanction letters under the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana from August 27, with the first monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 scheduled to be transferred directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts from September 1, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday. The Delhi government will hold a programme at Talkatora Stadium on August 27 where sanction letters will be distributed to beneficiaries whose applications have been verified. Gupta has directed district-level committees to accelerate scrutiny of pending applications so that eligible applicants are not kept waiting for the benefit.

The scheme is one of the BJP government’s major welfare initiatives and is expected to eventually cover more than 17 lakh women across Delhi. The government has allocated Rs 5,110 crore for the programme in the 2026-27 financial year.

Payments from September 1

Under the scheme, eligible beneficiaries will receive Rs 2,500 every month. The money will be transferred directly to their bank accounts, with regular disbursements set to begin from September 1. The announcement provides a clearer timeline for implementation after the Delhi Cabinet approved the scheme in July and the registration portal was subsequently launched on August 1.

The government had initially indicated that it hoped to release the first instalment around Raksha Bandhan after completing verification of applications. The latest announcement now places the start of direct benefit transfers on September 1, following the distribution of sanction letters beginning August 27. The scheme was a prominent BJP commitment ahead of the Delhi Assembly election and has remained politically significant since the party formed the government in the capital.

Verification being expedited

Gupta has asked district committees to complete verification of applications quickly while ensuring that benefits reach those who fulfil the prescribed conditions. The government is also preparing to introduce a correction facility on the Lakshmi Yojana portal. Applicants who have made errors while filling out their forms will be able to rectify them without submitting an entirely new application.

The move is intended to reduce the possibility of otherwise eligible women being excluded because of incorrect or incomplete information submitted during registration. The portal was launched earlier this month to enable women to apply for the monthly assistance. Since then, applications have been undergoing verification before beneficiaries are formally approved.

Scheme targets eligible women

The Delhi Lakshmi Yojana provides monthly income support to women who meet the government’s eligibility conditions. The scheme is designed to supplement household incomes and strengthen financial security among women from economically weaker families.

The Cabinet approved the programme in late July, following months of anticipation over the implementation of the BJP’s election promise to provide monthly financial assistance to women. The government has earmarked more than Rs 5,100 crore for the scheme during the current financial year, making it one of the largest components of its women-focused welfare programme. With an expected beneficiary base exceeding 17 lakh, full implementation would make the programme one of Delhi’s most extensive direct cash-transfer schemes.

Political row over eligibility

The scheme has also generated political controversy over its eligibility requirements and verification process.

The Aam Aadmi Party has criticised aspects of the programme, including its residency requirements, arguing that they could leave out a section of women who have moved to Delhi from other states. AAP has also questioned elements of the application process.

The BJP government, however, has presented the programme as the fulfilment of a major commitment made to women voters and has emphasised verification to ensure that financial assistance reaches eligible beneficiaries.

With sanction letters now scheduled to be issued from August 27 and bank transfers beginning September 1, the scheme is moving from the registration and verification stage to actual disbursement.

The immediate challenge for the government will be processing applications quickly enough to ensure that eligible women are not excluded from the initial rounds of payments because of administrative delays or correctable errors.