New Delhi, March 28 The Delhi government on Friday vowed to punish even government functionaries if they are found guilty in an ongoing enquiry into the previous AAP government’s illegal registration of women beneficiaries for a monthly honorarium of Rs 2,100.
Responding to a question by the BJP’s MLA from Nangloi Jat constituency, Manoj Shokeen, Minister Parvesh Verma informed the House that the matter was under investigation to identify those responsible for the wrongdoings.
“If anyone in the government machinery is found guilty in the enquiry, we will take action against him,” said Verma.
Just two months before the Delhi Assembly elections, the AAP government had launched a registration drive for the ‘Mahila Samman Yojana’ that promised monthly financial assistance of Rs 2,100 to women.
In a major embarrassment for the then AAP government, the scheme was struck down by the Delhi government’s own Department of Women and Child Development, disowning and criticising the unauthorised collection of personal data.
Earlier, giving an update on the BJP government’s Mahila Samridhi Yojana for giving Rs 2,500 per month to women, Minister Verma said that the matter was before a four-member panel, the file has reached the authority concerned and a notification on the scheme is expected very soon.
“The registration for the Mahila Samridhi Yojana will begin in all 70 Assembly constituencies once the rules of the scheme are drafted,” said Verma, pointing out that Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has already announced in her Budget speech that Rs 5,100 crore have been sanctioned for it.
Taking a swipe at an Opposition AAP legislator who sought a timeline for implementation of the Mahila Samridhi Yojana, Verma said, “It would have been better had the honourable member raised a similar question in February 2024 when former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced in the Budget that Rs 1,000 would be paid to women.”
"But on that occasion, the member did not have the courage to question Kejriwal," said Verma.
Earlier, AAP legislators raised slogans and demanded early implementation of the BJP's Mahila Samridhi Yojana promising Rs 2,500 monthly honorarium for women.
As the ruckus continued, Speaker Vijender Gupta suspended over a dozen Opposition legislators, including Leader of the Opposition Atishi, from the proceedings for unruly behaviour.
After being marshalled out, Atish told reporters that the Opposition MLAs were thrown out of the House for demanding answers on the Rs 2,500 monthly dole for Delhi women.
“Delhi women have been cheated by the BJP as Rs 2,500 have not landed in their bank accounts. When our legislator sought a deadline for implementing the scheme, our members were sent out of the House one after the other,” she said.
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