New Delhi: As Delhi’s Finance Minister Atishi presented the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s 10th consecutive Budget, marking a milestone in the city’s journey towards inclusive growth and development.
With a revenue-surplus Budget of Rs 76,000 crore, Atishi’s maiden Budget emphasised the transformative impact of a decade of governance under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership.
In an exclusive interview with Millennium Post, Atishi highlighted key initiatives and allocations aimed at empowering women and enhancing infrastructure across the national capital.
The centrepiece of the Budget was the launch of ‘Chief Minister Mahila Samman Yojana’, which promises to provide Rs 1,000 every month to each woman above 18 years of age.
Atishi emphasised the profound implications of this initiative, stating, “Through this scheme, the status of women at their home will also change. Many people are thinking that Rs 1,000 is not a big deal, but for a woman, this money will give her the independence to spend the way she wants.”
Delving into the economic benefits of empowering women, Atishi elucidated, “Research shows that when a woman gets the money, she mostly spends it on their kids, for education, nutrition, to spend on home to improve the quality of life. And at the end of the day, all this money is going into the economy. It is increasing demand, and as much as the demand will increase, the economy will also get better.”
Regarding the participation of women in the workforce, Atishi addressed the challenges faced by economically disadvantaged women and how the free bus scheme has helped them, stating, “The biggest reason for low women’s participation in the workforce is their lower wages compared to men. Providing free transportation services enables them to save money and commute anywhere for work in the city.”
“153 crore free trips women have taken in five years through this scheme,” she noted, signifying a positive step towards empowerment.
Acknowledging the diverse needs of women from different economic backgrounds, Atishi emphasised, “The disempowerment of women does not remain to one class. So even access to some amount of money that is solely your own will help them in some way or the other, regardless of their class.”
Responding to queries about the implementation timeline and potential challenges of the ‘Mahila Samman Yojana’, Atishi stated, “We are hoping to start it in the month of September or October. The process will take some time.”
In light of the ongoing tussle with the BJP, Atishi reaffirmed AAP’s commitment to delivering on its promises, asserting, “We have faced a lot of things and have fought and come over that successfully. We won’t stop no matter what comes our way.” When questioned about strategies for maximizing representation in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Atishi highlighted AAP’s track record of governance and strategic planning. “We are running a well-managed government. We have already invested in other sectors and considering all the things. We have come up with this scheme when we have already spent on education, infrastructure, and other sectors. So we knew this was the right time.”
Addressing concerns about capital expenditure and devolution, Atishi underscored the challenges posed by limited financial autonomy. “By not giving us the money that is needed, the centre is killing the goose that lays golden eggs. If they would provide us the money we would have been able to do the things in a better way and in a speedy way,” she remarked.
Atishi also provided insights into innovative programmes like “Business Blasters Senior,” aimed at empowering senior students to embark on entrepreneurial ventures. “In schools, we give Rs 2,000 to students but here we will be giving Rs 25,000 to the students to start their own business,” she elaborated, highlighting the programme’s capacity to foster real-world business acumen among participants.
Furthermore, Atishi discussed ongoing road infrastructure projects, assuring efforts to minimise disruptions, adhere to timelines, and prioritise projects based on criticality and public demand.