Delhi Chief Minister Launches Key Initiatives for Women's Empowerment
Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has launched several initiatives focused on women's empowerment, including a free LPG cylinder scheme for ration card holders and financial support for girls' education. The programs aim to enhance accessibility and safety in public transport while promoting domestic empowerment. With a focus on education and mobility, these initiatives are set to benefit millions of families in the capital. The Chief Minister's announcement highlights the government's commitment to improving the lives of women and girls in Delhi.
| Mar 2, 2026, 14:34 IST
Empowering Women in Delhi
On Monday, Delhi's Chief Minister Rekha Gupta inaugurated several significant initiatives aimed at women's empowerment during the 'Sashakt Nari, Samriddh Dilli' program. Among these initiatives are a free LPG cylinder scheme for ration card holders and the Delhi Lakhpati Beti scheme. Emphasizing education, mobility, and domestic empowerment, she announced that funds for 30,000 girls under the Ladli-Ladli scheme have been distributed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
The event, held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, also saw the launch of a program providing two free LPG cylinders annually to families holding ration cards during the festivals of Holi and Diwali. In her address, the Chief Minister stated that this initiative aims to touch upon three vital aspects of life: education, mobility, and domestic empowerment. She congratulated the daughters of Delhi, revealing that an investigation by the government found funds for the 'Ladli-Ladli' scheme amounting to 1.75 million girls lying unutilized in government accounts. Therefore, in the first phase, they identified 30,000 girls and allocated ₹900 million through DBT.
According to officials, there are four key schemes: the 'Saheli Pink Smart Card', the free LPG cylinder scheme, the Delhi Lakhpati Beti scheme, and 'Meri Poonji Mera Adhikar'. Under this initiative, the Saheli Pink Smart Card will be introduced within the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) framework, allowing eligible women and transgender residents to travel for free on buses. This card will also facilitate paid travel on the metro and regional rapid transit systems (RITS) through a single touch-free smart card. The cards will be issued at around 50 DM/SDM offices and selected DTC centers, where eligibility will be verified using Aadhaar cards linked to the beneficiary's mobile number.
The Chief Minister noted that this initiative will mark a significant milestone in making public transport more accessible, safe, and digital. Along with the two free LPG cylinders during festivals, the scheme will be implemented through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The equivalent amount of one cylinder's current price will be deposited into the bank account linked to the head of the family. This scheme is expected to benefit approximately 1.55 million families holding ration cards.