Delhi Lakshmi Yojana: Letters from Aug 26, funds from Sep 1

The scheme took effect on August 1. It targets women aged 21 to 60 from low-income families. Applications remain open year-round through the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana portal. The last day of each month serves as the cut-off; approved applications from that month get benefits starting the next month.

Not all of the ₹2,500 will be unrestricted monthly cash. By default, ₹1,500 goes into a recurring deposit or fixed deposit account, locked until July 31, 2029. The remaining ₹1,000 is deposited into a bank account linked to a Central Bank Digital Currency wallet for daily needs. The CBDC wallet carries spending restrictions on items such as alcohol, tobacco, narcotics, lottery tickets, gambling, and betting.

Beneficiaries can also choose to have the entire ₹2,500 credited to an RD or FD account, with the same lock-in until July 31, 2029.

Gupta said the government will soon add a feature on the portal so that women who entered incorrect or incomplete information can make corrections.