Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit slams AAP's 'Mahila Samman Yojana'

Congress leader and candidate for the New Delhi assembly seat Sandeep Dikshit has sharply criticised the Delhi Government's newly announced 'Mahila Samman Yojana,' claiming that it is nothing more than an election gimmick.

Speaking to ANI, Dikshit questioned why the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had not implemented it sooner. ".Why have they not given the 'Mahila Samman Yojana' till now? They had promised the same in Punjab also. People voted for them but they did not fulfil their promise" Dikshit said.

The Congress leader went on to suggest that AAP's announcement of the scheme was a direct response to the growing pressure ahead of elections. "AAP will be losing the elections and as they are scared of losing they have announced the 'Mahila Samman Yojana'...This is just an election promise and there is no seriousness in it," Dikshit added.

He also highlighted that unlike AAP, "Congress has consistently fulfilled its promises" to the people.

Earlier, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Harsh Malhotra on Friday took a dig at the Aam Aadmi Party government over its cash transfer scheme for women, 'Mahila Samman Yojna' calling it a "lie and deception."

Attacking former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, he said the AAP government should have brought this scheme 10 year back, and it is bringing it today only due to the assembly polls.

With the Delhi assembly election due in February next year, the Delhi Cabinet on Thursday approved the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, under which Rs 1,000 will be directly transferred to every eligible woman above the age of 18. The scheme will have an annual allocation of Rs 4,560 crore, according to an official statement from the Delhi government.

According to the cabinet note, approximately 38 lakh women may be eligible for the cash transfer scheme. To provide them Rs 1,000 per month, the scheme requires an annual budget allocation of Rs 4,560 crore.