On August 1, Delhi’s Chief Minister introduced the Lakshmi Yojana, offering eligible women a monthly unconditional cash transfer of ₹2,500. This fulfills a key promise made by the ruling party in the recent Assembly elections. Delhi now becomes one of several states and union territories providing such transfers to women.
In the past two years, various analyses, such as the Economic Survey and the 16th Finance Commission report, have highlighted worries about the growing financial costs of these programs. Recent data indicate that in states like Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, beneficiary numbers have declined due to efforts at rationalization.
