New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS): AICC treasurer and former Delhi Assembly Speaker Ajay Maken on Tuesday trained his guns at the AAP government for withholding financial assistance of 3.20 lakh beneficiary girls under the Ladli Yojana, launched by the Congress government in the national Capital in 2008.
As part of the Congress party’s ‘AAP ke Pap’ campaign, former Delhi minister Maken shared findings of a CAG report at a Press conference and questioned claims by the AAP government that it is working for the welfare of the people.
“The AAP government is saying that they will give Rs 2,100 a month to women in future but is denying girls their due monetary benefits under the 'Ladli Yojana' despite having the money. Who will trust that they will give the promised Rs 2,100 a month to women?” he said.
AICC treasurer Maken said the AAP government was afraid of getting exposed, so it suppressed the CAG report which made revelations about the poor implementation of the Ladli Yojana.
Till December 2022 as many as 3.2 lakh women were awaiting the Ladli Yojana's pay-out despite the government having Rs 618 crore for the scheme, said Maken, citing findings of the CAG report whose excerpts have come into public domain.
The Ladli scheme, aimed at preventing female feticide and promoting the girl child’s education, involved several instalments of the Delhi government’s financial assistance for girls from the time of birth till turning 18 – a total payout of over Rs 1 lakh over almost two decades.
Maken said under the AAP government the Ladli scheme’s registrations had come down three times since its launch by the Sheila Dikshit government.
“Some of the beneficiaries awaiting payment have turned 26 while they should have been given the money at 18,” said Maken, and accused the AAP government of sitting over the money meant for girl children.
Maken also hit out at the AAP government for not building three old age homes in Sarita Vihar, Chhatarpur and Geeta Colony despite the Union government giving the land for the purpose in 2013.
“The Sheila Dikshit government had enacted a law in 2007 for establishing senior citizen homes in each district. The AAP government has failed to implement the scheme,” Maken said.