Bizarre Delhi twist: Departments caution against AAP govt’s promised schemes
The notices issued by the women and child development department and health department against Mahila Samman and Sanjeevani schemes.
Two departments of the Delhi government on Wednesday issued public notices warning against the registration drives currently underway for two schemes promising allowances for women and free health care for seniors – highlighting the bizarre internal discord within the administration even as the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has made the schemes central to its campaign for the upcoming assembly polls .
The notices by the government’s women and child development (WCD) department and health department called the “Mahila Samman” and “Sanjeevani” schemes “non-existent” and, urged residents not to share personal data, sparking political uproar. The notices further said that no such scheme had been notified by the Delhi government.
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Reacting sharply, chief minister Atishi alleged the notices were issued “under pressure” from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and vowed legal and administrative action against the officers responsible. “Wrong information has been issued by these officers. They will face strict action. The Mahila Samman scheme has been notified and is in the public domain. These are AAP’s promises and guarantees,” Atishi said at a press conference.
The notices targeted the AAP’s Mahila Samman Yojana, which offers ₹2,100 per month to women, and the Sanjeevani scheme, which promises free health care to seniors. Both initiatives were announced by AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal earlier this week as election promises if the party returns to power in 2025.
The AAP said on Tuesday that over 1.3 million people have registered for the Mahila Samman Yojana and 150,000 for the Sanjeevani Yojana.
The BJP used the notices to attack the AAP-led government, saying that they show how the AAP intends to “misuse personal data” collected during these registration drives.
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The health department’s notice on the Sanjeevani scheme stated, “The department does not have any such scheme in existence to date and has neither authorised any official to collect personal information. Citizens are advised not to provide any details or sign documents under the pretext of free treatment under the Sanjeevani scheme.” It added that the registration drive was started by “some political functionaries/volunteers” who are visiting door to door collect information on elderly citizens.
The WCD notice had this to say about the Mahila Samman scheme: “No such scheme has been notified. Registration drives by individuals or political parties are unauthorized and may lead to cybercrime or banking fraud.” It added that “providing details such as bank account information, voter ID card, phone number, address .... may lead to cybercrime and banking fraud”.
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These statements stand in contrast to the Mahila Samman scheme’s inclusion in this year’s budget, approved by the Delhi cabinet on December 12. “The ₹1,000 allowance has been passed by the government. Kejriwal has now promised to increase it to ₹2,100 after winning the election,” Atishi reasserted on Wednesday.
Delhi’s governance operates across three levels: the central government represented by the lieutenant governor, the elected state government led by AAP, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The AAP has frequently raised concerns about bureaucratic “non-cooperation,” and has been engaged in a broader, long-standing legal struggle over control of services, i.e. bureaucrats. In May 2023, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Delhi government’s legislative and executive authority over services after an eight-year legal dispute. However, the central government swiftly countered the verdict by introducing an ordinance to nullify it, reigniting tensions over administrative control in the Capital.
AAP volunteers have set up nearly 3,000 registration camps daily across Delhi’s 70 assembly constituencies, alongside door-to-door campaigns over the last three days. Leaders have aggressively promoted the schemes, banking on their past success with initiatives like free electricity, water, and bus travel for women.
Defending the registration drives, AAP chief Kejriwal said, “These are election promises. People trust AAP because we deliver on our guarantees. Even after these fake notices, people are lining up to register. BJP fears our success and is trying to sabotage these initiatives.”
He added that it was justified that the registrations were being conducted by party officials and not government functionaries.
“The AAP is making the promise, so we are conducting registrations. People don’t trust the BJP’s promises, and rightly so. BJP hasn’t delivered on doubling farmers’ income, ₹15 lakh deposits, or housing for slum dwellers. The AAP, on the other hand, fulfils its commitments.”
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, “These are guarantees by Kejriwal that we will provide free healthcare to senior citizens and ₹2,100 to women if we win the election. What is wrong with this? These notices have been issued under pressure by the BJP… The public will not believe the lies spread by BJP.”
The BJP lashed out, accusing the AAP of deceit.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said: “It’s a very sad situation that the AAP government is doing exactly what digital fraudsters do by collecting people’s personal data that can be misused. They are misleading the public, especially women and the elderly, by bringing schemes without notification. This is the first time in history that the chief minister and the ruling party are circulating false schemes after 10 years of power to prevent the public from being misled.”
He added that the officials have issued a “public warning to make the public aware while performing their duty,” and challenged Atishi, asking, “Can the chief minister confirm if these schemes are legally approved?”
Congress joined the criticism, with leader Sandeep Dikshit labelling the drives as “fraud.” He said: “These are empty promises. Money can only be released once the finance department approves the scheme, which hasn’t happened. They are using these drives to collect personal data for elections.” Dikshit will take on Kejriwal from the New Delhi constituency in elections expected to be held in February.
The controversy underscores the stakes for AAP ahead of the 2025 elections. Since coming to power in 2015, the party has relied heavily on its welfare schemes to secure voter trust. However, its strained relations with officials, amplified by BJP’s control over Delhi’s bureaucracy, have led to repeated clashes.
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