Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta poses for a group picture with beneficiaries during the inauguration of the registration portal for the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana, in New Delhi on Saturday. (@gupta_rekha X/ANI Photo)Women applying for the Rekha Gupta government’s flagship Delhi Lakshmi Yojana will have to submit an endorsement letter from the MP or MLA of their constituency, according to fresh eligibility conditions unveiled in the scheme’s registration portal that was launched on Saturday.Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the portal at the East Delhi District Magistrate’s office. Under the scheme, eligible women will receive Rs 2,500 every month.Speaking at the launch, Gupta said every application would undergo a four-stage verification process to ensure that “only genuine beneficiaries” receive assistance.Also Read | 3-children cap, spending curbs: How Delhi cash scheme for women is differentApplications will first be scrutinised by the District Programme Management Unit, followed by verification by the District Women and Child Development Officer, before being placed before the District-Level Approval, Monitoring and Grievance Redressal Committee for a final nod.The CM said the verification process would include Aadhaar authentication, Delhi voter registration, annual family income, family details, electricity consumption, vehicle ownership, pension status and government service records. She said false declarations or fraudulent claims would invite recovery of the financial assistance along with legal and administrative action.Within hours of the portal going live, officials said more than 33,700 women had registered. Among them, 1,940 had completed the application process, while another 9,170 applications were awaiting MLA recommendations, they added.The scheme, approved for an initial period of three years, is expected to cover nearly 17 lakh women. Beneficiaries can either receive Rs 1,000 in a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) wallet and Rs 1,500 in a recurring deposit (RD) or fixed deposit (FD) account every month, or choose to have the entire Rs 2,500 deposited into an RD or FD for long-term savings.Story continues below this adThe government has also placed spending restrictions on the CBDC wallet. Money credited to the wallet cannot be used to purchase alcohol, tobacco, narcotic substances, lottery tickets, gambling or betting services, or other prohibited goods and services.Among one of the major eligibility conditions imposed is a three-child cap – an exclusion criterion that is uncommon among major social welfare schemes in Delhi. It has drawn criticism from Opposition parties and civil society groups.The other conditions are applicants must be the eldest eligible woman in the family, aged between 21 and 60 years, belong to a household with an annual income of not more than Rs 2.5 lakh, have at least 10 years’ residence in Delhi, their parents or husband, be registered voters in the Capital. Also, a recent electricity meter reading has to be submitted to establish that their household’s annual power consumption does not exceed 2,400 units.Further, the scheme excludes families in which any member is a regular or contractual employee of the Union or Delhi government, public sector undertakings or local bodies. Households in which any member pays income tax or is a registered GST filer are also ineligible. Those already receiving financial assistance, including widow, retirement or disability pensions, cannot avail the benefits to prevent overlap with existing welfare schemes.Sophiya Mathew is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She joined the Delhi bureau in 2024, and has specialization in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Professional Background Core Beats: Her reporting is primarily focused on the Environment and Education. Specialization: She has gained recognition for her ground-level reporting on the Yamuna floodplains and the socio-economic challenges faced by those living on its banks. She also focuses on the disparities in Delhi's education system, ranging from elite private schools to government institutions and refugee education. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent work has been heavily centered on Delhi's severe winter pollution crisis and the government's regulatory responses: 1. The Air Pollution Crisis "A tale of two cities: Delhi govt schools choke in bad air, private classrooms set up air filters" (Dec 20, 2025): A high-impact feature contrasting the "Clean Air Bubbles" in elite schools with the reality of government school students who are exposed to an equivalent of 17 cigarettes a day due to outdoor exposure. "Delhi sees season's worst air day, second worst December AQI in nearly a decade" (Dec 15, 2025): An analytical report on the meteorological patterns trapping pollutants in the NCR. "Delhi bans non-BS VI vehicles from outside: Why curbing vehicular pollution is key" (Dec 17, 2025): Explaining the science behind targeting specific vehicle vintages to lower particulate matter. 2. Enforcement & Regulations "No fuel at pumps in Delhi without valid PUC certificate from December 18" (Dec 17, 2025): Breaking the news on the environment ministry's strict "No PUC, No Fuel" policy. 3. Education Policy "Law to regulate school fee in Delhi risks becoming procedural, say parents" (Dec 13, 2025): Investigating the loopholes in the new Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025. "Monsoon Session: Private school fee regulation Bill cleared after four-hour debate" (Aug 9, 2025): Covering the legislative passage of the controversial fee hike regulation. Signature Style Sophiya is known for her observational depth. Her reporting often includes vivid details from school corridors, hospital waitlists, or the banks of the Yamuna to illustrate how policy failures affect the city's most vulnerable residents. She is a frequent expert guest on the 3 Things podcast, where she explains the complexities of Delhi’s environmental laws. X (Twitter): @SophiyaMathew1 ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram