Reaffirming her pre-election promise to safeguard the intertests of Delhi’s women, Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday unveiled an ambitious suite of measures aimed at empowering women.
The new initiatives include the expansion of the Mahila Samridhi Yojana, with a whopping allocation of ₹5,100 crore to provide ₹2,500 monthly stipend to economically weaker women and enhanced maternity benefits under the Mukhyamantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
Gupta also announced investments in women’s safety through the installation of 50,000 additional CCTV cameras, improved infrastructure including dedicated bathrooms, and the establishment of a technical university exclusively for women.
These comprehensive efforts, part of a ₹10,047-crore social welfare package targeting over 418,000 widows and women in distress, are designed to boost economic independence, security, and overall empowerment for women in the capital.
₹2,500 monthly stipend for women
“Empowerment of women is a key part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agenda. In line with this, we had announced that ₹2,500 per month will be provided to the economically weaker women of Delhi. I am happy to inform that we have not only decided to implement this scheme as ”Mahila Samridhi Yojana” but also allocate ₹5100 crore towards this scheme,” she informed the assembly, adding, “our initiatives are designed to recognise and honour women’s unpaid domestic labour.”
Gupta also announced that ₹210 crore has been earmarked to boost the Mukhyamantri Matru Vandana Yojana, which offers maternity benefits. Under the scheme, economically weak women currently receive ₹5,000 for the first child and ₹6,000 for a second child if it is a girl. The revamped initiative will further extend financial support, with provisions of up to ₹21,000 along with six nutrition kits for 100,000 beneficiaries.
Safety of women
“Keeping in view the security needs, especially those of women, we propose to install 50,000 cameras in addition to the existing 280,000 cameras in Delhi,” Gupta said.
Alongside these steps, ₹230 crore has been allocated for infrastructure improvements, including the construction of women-specific bathrooms.
In the education sector, ₹21.5 crore will be directed towards the Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women, reinforcing the government’s commitment to provide specialised academic opportunities.
The comprehensive social welfare package also targets 418,000 widows and women in distress, with monthly assistance for these groups. “In addition, financial assistance to “women in distress” and ”divyangjan )persons with disabilities” is being increased from ₹2,500 to ₹3,000 per month,” she said.
Affordable housing for women
Further bolstering support for women, the government is expanding the ‘Sakhi Niwas Yojana’—a scheme aimed at offering safe, secure, and affordable housing for working women and girl students pursuing higher education, along with day-care facilities. “Currently, 14 working women hostels serve 1,935 beneficiaries, and plans are underway to inaugurate two additional Sakhi Niwas to encourage greater participation of women in the workforce.” Gupta said.
Kalpana Viswanath, co-founder and CEO of Safetipin, an organisation dedicated to improving urban safety, said, “Some of the initiatives are promising – expanding hostels for working women and establishing dedicated public toilets are positive steps. However, simply increasing CCTV cameras won’t provide the safety women need. What’s essential is better infrastructure: well-lit streets, more secure bus stops, and stronger last-mile connectivity.”
