New Delhi, Dec 25 (IANS): The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) recently announced two welfare schemes -- the Mahila Samman Yojana and the Sanjeevani Yojana -- with registrations starting from December 23. Under the Mahila Samman Yojana, every woman in Delhi is promised monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,100 if AAP retains power in the upcoming elections. Despite the enthusiasm over the announcement, scepticism has surfaced among Delhi’s women voters.
AAP teams are reportedly visiting households to facilitate registrations. However, several residents claim the scheme lacks transparency and is a political ploy to secure votes ahead of elections.
Pushpa Shukla, a resident of Kidwai Nagar, expressed her frustration with the registration process. “On the first day, I was contacted, but no follow-up was done. No process has been clarified, and we’ve been left in the dark. It feels like a complete fraud,” she told IANS.
Pushpa added that they promised that camps would be set up in the area, but so far nothing has been done.
Vandana, another resident of the same area, also expressed similar concerns. While she acknowledged receiving a “yellow card” for the scheme, she expressed uncertainty over its next steps. “They didn’t ask for bank details, so how will the money reach us? We are also wary of sharing our account information,” she said.
Vandana appreciated the initiative in theory but noted the widespread distrust among people.
Bhavna, another Kidwai Nagar resident, raised questions about the scheme’s financial viability. "The cabinet has only approved Rs 1,000 per woman, so how will they give Rs 2,100? The Delhi government is already facing an Rs 8,000-crore deficit," she remarked.
Bhavna called the scheme an election gimmick and alleged that similar promises were made during the Lok Sabha elections, but they were never fulfilled.
"Election promises are made, but once they win, the public is forgotten. They will resurface with new promises before the next elections. It’s a pattern," she asserted.
Many women also recalled earlier grievances. Vandana shared that AAP representatives asked her questions about how she would use the money.
Several voters also alleged that the AAP government has actively blocked the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, depriving Delhi residents of its benefits.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government’s own Department of Women and Child Development has disowned the Mahila Samman Yojana which promises Rs 2,100 per month to women in the capital.
It said that it had not authorised anyone to collect personal data from elderly citizens and was not providing any card.
The government itself has said that any individual or political party collecting such forms under the name of this scheme is "fraudulent and without any authority".