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. (@gupta_rekha X/ANI Photo)For years, 35-year-old Renu has spent what she earns on her family. On Wednesday, as she sat among hundreds of women at Talkatora Stadium, she found herself thinking about what she might finally buy for herself.A domestic help who earns Rs 8,000 a month, Renu was the only woman from the 300 servant quarters in Pandara Road selected to attend the distribution of sanction letters for the Delhi Lakshmi Yojana on Wednesday.“I have not decided yet what I will do with the money. Let it come into our account first, then I will believe it,” says Renu, whose husband, who does odd jobs, earns roughly Rs 15,000 a month.As Renu spoke to other women around her, she realised they had something else in common. They too spent whatever they earned on their husbands, children and household needs.But this time, they might keep a little for themselves, says Renu, who plans to buy a suit for herself with the money.The Delhi government on Wednesday launched Delhi Lakshmi Yojana, one of its key poll promises from last year’s Assembly elections, when the BJP returned to power in the Capital after nearly three decades.Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Union Minister and Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra and other ministers symbolically handed sanction letters to 65 women. Around 4,190 beneficiaries attended the event.Story continues below this adUnder the scheme, women aged 21 to 60 will receive Rs 2,500 a month from September 1. Of this, Rs 1,000 will be available through a digital wallet for spending, while Rs 1,500 will go towards an Fixed Deposit or Recurring Deposit to build savings.For 40-year-old Roopa Saini, who runs a small tailoring shop in Palam, the money means she may finally be able to save.“My 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… We are not able to save for an emergency,” Roopa says.For 42-year-old Anuradha Devi, the assistance will help with medical expenses.Story continues below this adHer husband works as a security guard and earns around Rs 15,000 a month. Recently, she was diagnosed with spinal issues and a partially blocked vein in her brain. “I get treated in a government hospital, but we have to buy medicines from outside… We have been borrowing from friends and family,” Anuradha says.She hopes to repay those loans with the savings she builds through the scheme.The government said 9.22 lakh women had registered for the scheme and around 6.6 lakh had submitted their final applications by Tuesday.According to the CM, the scheme was aimed at giving women financial security and greater confidence to make their own decisions.Story continues below this adBut for some beneficiaries, the monthly assistance is only part of what they want from the government.Sangam Vihar resident Anjum Gupta (37) says while the money would help with daily expenses, better public services would make a bigger difference.“The government should focus on improving schools and hospitals. That will ease our burden even more,” she says. Devansh Mittal is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in the New Delhi City bureau. He reports on urban policy, civic governance, and infrastructure in the National Capital Region, with a growing focus on housing, land policy, transport, and the disruption economy and its social implications. Professional Background Education: He studied Political Science at Ashoka University. Core Beats: His reporting focuses on policy and governance in the National Capital Region, one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. He covers housing and land policy, municipal governance, urban transport, and the interface between infrastructure, regulation, and everyday life in the city. Recent Notable Work His recent reporting includes in-depth examinations of urban policy and its on-ground consequences: An investigation into subvention-linked home loans that documented how homebuyers were drawn into under-construction projects through a “builder–bank” nexus, often leaving them financially exposed when delivery stalled. A detailed report on why Delhi’s land-pooling policy has remained stalled since 2007, tracing how fragmented land ownership, policy design flaws, and mistrust among stakeholders have kept one of the capital’s flagship urban reforms in limbo. A reported piece examining the collapse of an electric mobility startup and what it meant for women drivers dependent on the platform for livelihoods. Reporting Approach Devansh’s work combines on-ground reporting with analysis of government data, court records, and academic research. He regularly reports from neighbourhoods, government offices, and courtrooms to explain how decisions on housing, transport, and the disruption economy shape everyday life in the city. Contact X (Twitter): @devanshmittal_ Email: devansh.mittal@expressindia.com ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram