The Delhi government will launch the ‘Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana’ on April 1, replacing the 2008 Ladli Scheme, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Tuesday. The revamped programme is aimed at enhancing the financial security and education continuity of girls from economically weaker sections, with benefits related to age and education milestones.
All about ‘Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana’
Gupta said the new scheme will provide financial assistance of up to Rs 56,000 per beneficiary. The amount will be deposited in phased installments starting from birth and will continue till graduation or diploma level studies. The accumulated amount will be invested through a structured financial instrument and will be released on maturity into the beneficiary’s Aadhaar-linked bank account. A separate digital portal will be created for the scheme, she added further.
The chief minister also underlined a key reason behind the revamp. The government found that a large number of accounts under the earlier Ladli scheme had remained unclaimed. She stated that more than .86 lakh maturity accounts were unclaimed. In 2025, around 30,000 beneficiaries were identified, and Rs 90 crore was released. The government has now identified another 41,000 beneficiaries and said that Rs 100 crore will be released soon, as per a report by PTI. The scheme’s estimated cost is around Rs 160 crore, and benefits will be restricted to two girls per family, Gupta mentioned.
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Who can apply, and what are the eligibility norms?
Eligible beneficiaries include girls who are born in Delhi and whose families have stayed in the city for at least three years. The annual family income is not more than Rs 1.20 lakh. Registration can be done within one year of birth or at later stages, like at the time of admission to Class 1, 6, 9 and 11 or admission to a recognised graduation/diploma course.
How will the money be disbursed?
The amount will be paid on an installment basis; the first time, Rs 11,000 at the time of the birth, then Rs 5,000 will be paid at education milestones, including admission to Class 1 and progress through Classes 6, 8, 10, and 12. An additional Rs 20,000 will be credited in phases during graduation or diploma. The maturity amount may be claimed after passing Class 12 and turning 18, or after completing education and turning 21.
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What conditions can result in cancellation?
If, in any case, a beneficiary does not meet key education conditions, such as failing to clear class 12 by age 21, the amount will be credited back to the government. Unclaimed maturity amounts may also be surrendered and returned to the government. Cancellation will also apply if the girl is married before 18. |
