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Delhi Assembly Election 2025: With days before the Delhi assembly elections, the three major parties – AAP, BJP and Congress – have announced women-centric schemes this time to woo Delhi’s women voters.
According to the latest electoral roll published by the Delhi Chief Electoral Office, the city has around 71 lakh women voters in Delhi, amounting to about 45% of the total vote.
AAP had announced a “free travel for women” scheme in the 2020 Delhi assembly polls, which was key to its success that year. The party announced a scheme for monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000 during the 2022 Punjab elections, which helped it win with a convincing 79% majority. The BJP has similar schemes underway in Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Maharashtra where it is in power, while the Congress did so in Karnataka.
How do these schemes compare to each other? We explain.
The party has announced monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,100 for non-tax-paying women in Delhi if re-elected. On Monday (January 27), Kejriwal unveiled his 15 guarantees for the assembly election.
“Kejriwal’s guarantee means pakki baat,” he said, accusing the BJP of not keeping their promises, calling their electoral promises empty poll talk.
“They (BJP) release manifestos and sankalp patras and make promises under many other names…but they don’t fulfil them,” he said. “Unke liye ye sab chunavi jumla hote hain. (For them these elections are all talk, no action). The BJP promised to give Rs 15,000. But people never received the money in their accounts…We will implement this scheme as soon as we form the government in Delhi.”
This is not the first time the party has announced this scheme. Before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, AAP announced a monthly allowance of Rs 1,000 to non-tax-paying women in Delhi in a Ram Rajya-themed budget for the current financial year. The party promised that the scheme would be implemented by October and women would receive the amount in their account.
Kejriwal’s arrest in the excise policy scam had delayed its implementation. After he vacated the Chief Minister seat in September for Atishi, the scheme was passed and notified by the cabinet in December. This was done despite concerns by the Delhi Finance Department about the current fiscal situation.
Countering AAP’s scheme, the BJP announced monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,500 to women in Delhi under the Mahila Samridhi Yojana. BJP has implemented similar cash-for-women schemes in other states such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa.
The party also said that ongoing welfare schemes for women such as free bus travel for women will continue.
It promised Rs 21,000 and six nutritional kits to every pregnant woman and free cervical, breast and ovarian cancer screenings in all Delhi government hospitals under Ayushman Bharat Yojana.
The BJP announced 33% reservation for women in Delhi government jobs, e-commerce and quick commerce platforms for women, and interest-free loans up to Rs 1 lakh for women working in Self Help Groups.
It has promised to launch the Mukhya Mantri Kanyadaan Yojana, offering financial assistance of Rs 50,000 for the marriage of daughters from poor families.
The party will also increase the monthly pension for widows, destitute and abandoned women from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000.
The party also said it will increase the monthly honorarium to Rs 12,000 for anganwadi workers, Rs 7,000 for anganwadi assistants and Rs 6,000 for ASHA workers, including health and life insurance coverage.
BJP has also promised that if voted to power in Delhi it will launch “Anti-Romeo” squads in public places to curb sexual harassment.
Additionally, the party has promised:
On Wednesday (January 29), the Congress released its manifesto for the Delhi polls. It announced the “Pyari Didi Yojana” promising Rs 2,500 for women in poor households. This is modelled on the Gruha Lakshmi scheme the party introduced in Karnataka as one of its six poll guarantees in the run-up to the state’s assembly election in 2023. The Karnataka scheme, launched by party president Mallikarjun Kharge in August 2023, provides a monthly aid of Rs 2,000 for women below the poverty line.
The party also announced a scheme to provide every family with an LPG cylinder at Rs 500 and ration kits with sugar, rice and cooking oil.
It announced a pension scheme of Rs 5,000 per month for senior citizens, widows, persons with disabilities, transgender persons and destitute individuals. It also plans to revive the 2008 Ladli scheme introduced by former CM Sheila Dikshit.
The Congress has promised 33% reservation in new state government jobs, and 4% state government jobs for Persons with Disabilities.
Regarding women’s safety, the party said it would restore the 181 helpline, and ensure the strict implementation of Vishakha guidelines by companies registered and operating in Delhi. It also promised to conduct classes in self-defence for women.
The party said it would provide a ‘shagan’ of Rs 1.1 lakh for the marriage of disadvantaged widows, their daughters, orphan girls, and women graduates in economically disadvantaged households.
Additionally, the party has promised:
