After AAP, Congress announces monthly Rs 2,500 aid for Delhi women voters

Congress' DK Shivakumar announced that under the 'Pyari Didi Yojana,' the party will provide Rs 2,500 to women voters if it wins the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections

The Congress on Monday announced that it will provide a monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 to women in Delhi if the party is voted to power in the upcoming assembly election. The 'Pyari Didi Yojana,' modelled after 'Ladli Behna' schemes in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, is a bid by the Congress to counter to ruling Aam Aadmi Party's proposed 'Mahila Samman Yojna'.

 

During the launch of the scheme, senior Congress leader and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed confidence in the scheme's success.

 

“Today, I am here to launch the 'Pyari Didi' scheme. I am confident that Congress will form the government in Delhi and we will provide Rs 2,500 to women, and it will be decided in the very first meeting of cabinet - on the same model that we implemented in Karnataka,” Shivakumar said.

 

Shivakumar further said that the details will be finalised in the first cabinet meeting and the implementation will follow the same model used in Karnataka.

 

“I am confident that Congress will form the government in Delhi ... and it [the scheme] will be decided in the very first meeting of cabinet—on the same model that we implemented in Karnataka,” Shivakumar further added.

 

AAP’s Mahila Samman Yojna

The move comes weeks after the ruling AAP announced a similar scheme to woo women voters in the national capital.

 

Under the Mahila Samman Yojana, the AAP has promised to provide a monthly assistance of Rs 2,100 to registered women voters in Delhi. AAP also announced the Sanjeevani scheme, which promises free healthcare to senior citizens.

 

Presently, under the Mahila Samman Yojana, women in the national capital are eligible to receive Rs 1,000. The AAP has pledged to raise this amount to Rs 2,100 if it wins the upcoming assembly elections.

 

Last week, the AAP announced that more than 1.3 million individuals have signed up for the Mahila Samman Yojana, while 150,000 have enrolled for the Sanjeevani Yojana.