Only 53 women have received money in their Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) wallets under the Delhi government’s Lakshmi Yojana, nearly three months after the flagship scheme’s launch, The Indian Express has learnt.According to official sources, fixed deposits have been created in the names of 4,488 beneficiaries – taking the total number of beneficiaries for whom payments have been processed to 4,541.With the CBDC-based payment mechanism running into technical and operational hurdles, the Delhi government has now decided to deposit the entire monthly assistance of Rs 2,500 in fixed deposits until January 2027, instead of splitting the amount between CBDC wallets and FDs, according to a response from a Delhi government spokesperson to questions from The Indian Express.Multiple sources in the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department and the Revenue Department confirmed that technical issues have delayed the transfer of money to beneficiaries’ digital wallets. Beneficiaries across five districts also confirmed that despite having opened digital wallets linked to their bank accounts, they had not received any amount in them.Also Read | 5 lakh registered in a week, that’s historic: Delhi CM on financial aid for womenThe scheme, one of the BJP’s key promises during last year’s Delhi Assembly elections, was launched on August 26, with the first payments scheduled to begin on September 1. It provides eligible women from low-income households with financial assistance of Rs 2,500 a month.Under the scheme, notified by the WCD Department in August, beneficiaries can choose between two payment options. Under the first, Rs 1,000 is credited every month to a CBDC wallet linked to the beneficiary’s bank account, while Rs 1,500 is deposited in a recurring or fixed deposit account. Under the second, the entire Rs 2,500 is deposited in an RD or FD account, subject to a lock-in period until July 31, 2029.The beneficiaries Roopa Saini, 40, runs a small tailoring shop in south west Delhi’s Palam. She attended the launch hoping the money would let her put aside something for emergencies. Her husband is a contractor, but work has been irregular. “I earn Rs 12,000 every month from my shop, of which Rs 8,000 goes towards its rent. The rest is spent on household items,” she said.Story continues below this adAlso Read | No cash in hand, aid for women with over 3 children in Delhi assistance schemeSaini has received an HDFC Bank message stating: “Dear sister, Rs 1,500 for September in DLY has been deposited into an FD as per the prescribed procedure. The remaining amount of Rs 1,000 will be deposited once the Aadhaar-linked CBDC wallet is activated.”She said she had already activated her wallet while applying. “I remember very clearly because I paid Rs 100 to the cyber cafe person to activate the wallet,” she said.The numbersAccording to figures shared by the government, 231 applications approved in August were credited in September, including 53 through CBDC wallets. Another 4,257 applications approved in September were credited in October, with the entire Rs 2,500 deposited in FDs, as the CBDC route faced hurdles.34,786 fresh applications were digitally approved last month, with sanction orders expected to be issued by Friday, and the entire Rs 2,500 for these beneficiaries to be deposited in FDs.Story continues below this adAlso Read | Random, door-to-door visits to verify women eligible for financial aid scheme in DelhiOver these three months, the government has approved a total of 39,274 applications.The delays are not limited to the payment mechanism. The government also acknowledged that the earlier tendering process for engaging a Project Management Unit (PMU) for the scheme could not be successfully concluded. The department is now undertaking a fresh tendering process, it said.In the interim, scrutiny, verification and approval of applications are continuing at various levels, with the assistance of Anganwadi workers wherever required. Additional manpower is also being engaged temporarily to expedite the process until the PMU is finalised and becomes operational.