Politics in Delhi is abuzz with activities related to two schemes announced by Aam Aadmi Party recently for women and elderly citizens in Delhi. AAP levelled serious allegations on BJP leader Pravesh Verma who allegedly distributed ‘cash’ money with a leaflet of BJP to women in his area as part of “Ladli Yojana” as claimed by AAP.
There was a huge queue of women in from of his house Pravesh Verma after the news broke that cash is being distributed at Pravesh Verma’s house. The scheme has been named aptly by BJP challenging the AAP scheme on its face. Legally, no political party can distribute cash amongst the people. Allegations and counter allegations were levelled throughout the day on the schemes of AAP and that of Pravesh Verma.
Pravesh Verma on the other hand, says that the distribution of money was done through an organisation which has been working from several years now. The AAP Government in Delhi is again on the target. This time the Delhi government’s Women and Child Development and Health and Family Welfare departments have issued public notices clarifying that no schemes like the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana or Sanjeevani Scheme exist officially. These notices contradict the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) campaign promises, leading to accusations of fraud and misuse of personal data by AAP volunteers. AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal has responded to these allegations, but tensions persist among the party and government officials.
“My father Sahib Singh Verma used to do a lot of social service through this organization and I am doing the same. The AAP government has done nothing for the women so I decided to help these women by enrolling them in a scheme and distributing cash to help them,” said Pravesh.
It seems that the Delhi government’s own department is ‘arm twisting’ it through the public notice which has questioned the very existence of schemes recently launched by CM Atishi along with party mentor Arvind Kejriwal a few days back. The AAP leaders have claimed that it has been done by BJP, who have pressurized the officials to release a public notice and action would be taken the errant officials soon.
While on one hand the BJP has launched massive schemes for the voters through its state governments in the BJP run states, but they don’t want the Delhi Government to run any scheme for women and elderly people.
“It seems that the BJP is rattled with the success of the just launched schemes. AAP has received 15,00,000 plus registrations in just two days for Mahila Samman Yojana and Sanjeevani Yojana. While Mahila Samman Yojana has around 13,50,000 applicants, Sanjeevani Yojana has already registered more than 1,50,000 applicants for the schemes.”
The Public Notice clearly distances the Delhi govt departments from AAP’s promised schemes such as Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana and Sanjeevani Yojana which was launched with much fanfare leaving Arvind Kejriwal, CM Atishi red faced through out the day today. They have to come in defense of the party’s decision on various media platforms claiming that they will continue with the scheme come what may.
The Delhi Govt departments, o the other hand, through the public notice has cautioned the people on the pretext of registration for “non-existent” schemes, saying any private individual or political party collecting such physical forms or information is “fraudulent and without any authority”
Many newspapers on December 25th, 2024 carried a public notice issued by the Women and Child Development and Health departments of the Delhi Government distancing themselves from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s promised schemes of providing ₹2,100 to women and free treatment for the elderly, a promise made by Aam Aadmi Party for the next assembly polls.
The public notice issued says: “It has been brought to the notice of the Department of Women and Child Development, through media reports and social media posts, that a political party is claiming to disburse ₹2100 per month under Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana to women in Delhi. It is clarified that no such scheme has been notified by the Government of Delhi.”
The Delhi Govt departments also warned the people that if they provide personal details to anyone for registration of the said ‘non-existent’ schemes, will be doing it at their own risk and any collection of forms or information for the said schemes “fraudulent and without any authority”.
Notice further says: “If and when the scheme begins, the department will launch a digital portal for eligible individuals to submit their applications online as per the approved guidelines. Since no such scheme exists, the question of physical forms for registration under this non-existent scheme does not arise.”
Further the notice says: “Any private individual/ political party collecting such physical forms/applications or collecting information from applicants under the name of the Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana is fraudulent and without any authority.”
“The development, which came days after AAP leaders launched the exercise of registering people and former CM Kejriwal, who is leading the registration drive, alleged that the BJP was rattled by the two schemes and claimed that Chief Minister Atishi could be arrested soon in fake cases.”
Kejriwal said on X: “They are completely rattled with Mahila Samman Yojna and Sanjeevani Yojna. They have hatched a plan to come up with a fake case and arrest Chief Minister Atishi in the next few days.”
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj had on Tuesday, claimed that she spoke to the Health Secretary of the Delhi government and was informed that there was no “Sanjeevani Yojna” in existence.
Kejriwal announced the schemes ahead of Assembly polls in February next year for which the registration process had already started by the party as an election campaigning drive at various levels.
The notice cautioned the Delhi citizens that by providing personal details, sensitive information including PAN account numbers, phone numbers or Voter ID, for the scheme may be targeted for cyber and banking frauds.
“The Mahila Samman Yojna was announced by the AAP government in the budget 2024-25 to provide ₹1000 per month to all eligible women aged above 18. Kejriwal recently promised to raise the amount to ₹2100 if AAP regains power.”
The Health and Family Department notice also says that the “Sanjeevani Yojna”, for free treatment of senior citizens above 60 years at government and private hospitals is also not in the ambit of any government scheme.
