New Delhi

Aiming to weed out illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants from social benefit schemes in the city, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, on Wednesday, announced a drive for verification and fresh registration of beneficiaries.

"Whether it is ration, pension or any other scheme for economically weaker sections, we will verify and register the beneficiaries afresh," said CM Gupta while presenting a Rs 1 lakh crore Delhi Budget for 2025-26 in the Assembly.

She also hit out at the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for extending benefits of welfare schemes to ineligible individuals, including Bangladeshis and Rohingyas.

To support and development of poor and deprived families, the Chief Minister allocated a total budget of Rs 10,047 crore for the Social Security sector, out of which Rs 9,780 crore were allocated for schemes and projects of the Social Welfare, Women and Child Development, and the SC/ST/OBC Welfare Department.

For the BJP government's flagship "Mahila Samridhi Yojana", the CM sanctioned a budget of Rs 5,100 crore under which monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 will be provided to eligible women.

This move will help enhance women's economic independence, decision-making capacity and self-esteem.

Chief Minister Gupta also announced that the monthly assistance for senior citizens (60-69 years) will be increased to Rs 2,500 and those above 70 years of age will be given monthly assistance of Rs 3,000.

Senior citizens (60-69 years) from the SC/ST/minority communities will get additional monthly assistance of Rs 500, she said, adding that financial assistance to 'women in distress' and 'divyangjan' (differently-abled persons) will be increased from Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per month. A budget of Rs 3,227 crore was allocated for all these schemes.

For the nutrition of pregnant women, Rs 210 crore were proposed under the 'Mukhya Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana' to additionally support the ongoing programme 'Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)' with an increase of total benefit under the scheme up to Rs 21,000 along with six nutritional kits.

The CM also proposed Rs 50 crore for 'Palna – National Creche Scheme' under which, 500 Palna Anganwadi-cum-Creche centres will be made operational to enable poor working mothers to remain part of the workforce after the birth of their children.

She said that 1,000 Anganwadi centres will be upgraded to Saksham Anganwadi centres for which budget of Rs 206 crore was proposed.

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For working women, she announced two new 'Sakhi Niwas', in addition to present 14 working women hostels operating in Delhi, in which 1,935 women are availing these facilities.

She also allocated Rs 5 crore for new scheme 'Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Stipend Scheme' to empower Scheduled Caste (SC) students by providing monthly stipend of Rs 1,000 for pursuing technical and vocational education in ITI, skill centres and polytechnics of Delhi.