New Delhi, March 8 (IANS) Attacking AAP leader Atishi for doubting the BJP government’s intentions, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva welcomed the announcement made by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday for the Rs 2,500 Mahila Samriddhi Yojana on the occasion of International Women’s Day.
Sachdeva welcomed the announcement made by CM Gupta regarding a Rs 5,100 crore provision for Mahila Samriddhi Yojana in the 2025-26 Budget and the formation of a four-member committee to establish rules and registration for the distribution of the honorarium.
Sachdeva said that while the women of Delhi are pleased that every needy woman in society will soon receive an honorarium, it was regrettable that AAP leader Atishi has again made irresponsible statements regarding the women’s honorarium.
He further questioned Atishi why the previous AAP government — despite the announcement in the 2024-25 budget of a Rs 2,000 crore provision and a Rs 1,000 per month financial assistance — failed to allocate any funds for women.
The Delhi BJP President added that the party did not wish to politicise the women’s honorarium but if the AAP wants to do so, then Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann must answer why, after 37 months of running the Punjab government, the women’s honourarium of Rs 1,000 has still not been implemented in the agrarian state.
Atishi must respond whether Kejriwal’s announcements of women financial assistance in Punjab in 2021 and in the 2024 Delhi budget were just false election promises, Sachdeva said.
Earlier, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha organised a grand event at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium where National President J.P. Nadda hailed the allocation of Rs 5,100 crore annually for the women-focussed scheme.
J.P. Nadda emphasised that when women’s empowerment progresses, the world moves forward.
“Today, the BJP has the highest representation in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. From village councils to the President’s office, women are leading in various capacities, which is a matter of pride,” he said.
He also highlighted that in India’s 75-year history, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is the only woman to have presented the Budget eight times.
He noted that BJP’s commitment to women’s empowerment is reflected in its leadership — with two female Deputy Chief Ministers in other states and now a woman Chief Minister in Delhi. This is only possible in the BJP.
J.P. Nadda praised women for balancing family responsibilities while actively participating in social work and cited the changing face of India, with 2.5 crore women registering under MSMEs and 57,000 startups being led by women.
He acknowledged PM Modi government’s efforts to support women through initiatives like the Ujjwala Yojana, benefiting 12 crore women with free LPG connections, and providing proper sanitation facilities through the construction of 12 crore toilets.
He also mentioned PM Modi-led government’s provision of 26 weeks of maternity leave, a historic step towards women’s welfare.
–IANS
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