President Droupadi Murmu launched the Pink National Common Mobility Card or Pink Saheli Smart Card and three other women-centric welfare schemes, including Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana, of the Delhi government on Monday.
The programme held at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, titled ‘Sashakt Naari, Samriddh Delhi’, was also attended by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra, as well as Delhi ministers Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Pankaj Kumar Singh, among others.
Besides Pink Saheli Smart Card and Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana, the President launched a scheme to provide two free LPG cylinders annually to ration card-holding families on Holi and Diwali, and the ‘Meri Punji, Mera Adhikar’ initiative, under which around Rs 100 crore pending amount will be transferred into the bank accounts of 40,642 Delhi Ladli Scheme beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Addressing the gathering, Murmu said that initiatives such as Meri Punji, Mera Adhikar, Pink Saheli Smart Card and Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya are important steps toward making women self-reliant.
“All these efforts are improving the social, economic, and political status of women… Women’s empowerment is not only the responsibility of governments but of society as a whole. Educating daughters, boosting their confidence and ensuring a safe environment are essential so that they can make life decisions without fear or pressure,” Murmu said.
Maintaining that Delhi being the Capital of the country sees people from every state and region, she added, “If the women of Delhi are safe, educated, and self-reliant, and provide confident leadership in every sphere of society, it will send a positive message throughout the country. Delhi should set an example of women-led development for the entire nation.”
Referring to the national goal of making India a developed country by 2047, Murmu said this objective cannot be achieved without empowering half the population. Comparing men and women to the two wheels of a chariot, she said the nation can progress only when both are equally strong. “When a daughter is empowered, families become stronger. When women become self-reliant, society becomes more confident. And when women progress, the path toward a developed Delhi becomes clearer. This day will be remembered as a historic milestone in Delhi’s journey, as it celebrates the entire journey of a daughter – from birth to self-reliance throughout her life,” she said.
Speaking on the occasion, the CM said that under Meri Punji, Mera Adhikar, a special drive was conducted to transfer pending Ladli scheme benefits to beneficiaries. In the first phase, around Rs 90 crore was transferred to nearly 30,000 girls, and on Monday, more than Rs 100 crore was transferred to over 40,000 beneficiaries, she added.
Maintaining that the earlier system often left beneficiaries unaware of their pending entitlements, Gupta said, “The new Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana has been designed as a stronger, future-oriented, fully digital and faceless system… Rs 61,000 will be deposited in stages from birth until graduation, which will mature to around Rs 1.25 lakh with interest. A budget provision of Rs 128 crore has been made for the scheme and girls living in child care institutions will also be included.”
Calling the Saheli Pink Smart Card – which offers free travel on DTC and cluster buses to transgenders and women residents of Delhi aged 5 years and above – a “dignity card”, the CM said it aligns with the Prime Minister’s ‘One Nation-One Card’ vision. “The card can be used not only on DTC buses but across other public transport systems… This will ensure freedom of movement, safety and easier access to employment and education opportunities for women,” she added.
Gupta also announced that to provide relief in household expenses, free LPG cylinders on Holi and Diwali will be provided to eligible ration card holders through DBT. Around Rs 130 crore has been transferred directly to beneficiaries’ accounts under this initiative, she added. “Collective efforts will pave the way from Sashakt Naari to Samriddh Delhi and from Samriddh Delhi to Viksit Bharat. Achieving the goal of a developed India requires equal participation of women in the workforce, innovation and economic activities,” said the CM.
Addressing the event, the L-G said, “A visionary approach is essential for women’s empowerment, and the Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana is a strong example. By ensuring support from birth to higher education and vocational training, the scheme lays the foundation for making daughters self-reliant.”
Initiatives launched by President Murmu
# Pink Saheli Smart Card: Offers free, unlimited travel on DTC and cluster buses to transgenders and women residents of Delhi aged 5 years and above
# Meri Punji, Mera Adhikar: Rs 100.25 cr pending amount under Delhi Ladli Scheme to be transferred through DBT to 40,642 eligible girls
# Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana: A digital and incentive-based replacement for the Ladli scheme; Rs 61,000 to be deposited in phases for each eligible girl, which will grow to over Rs 1 lakh with interest by the time they turn 21, subject to conditions such as completion of graduation or a vocational diploma.
# Free LPG cylinders on Holi and Diwali: 17.5 lakh ration card-holders will be given Rs 853, equal to the value of a cylinder through DBT.
Addressing the gathering, Murmu said that initiatives such as Meri Punji, Mera Adhikar, Pink Saheli Smart Card and Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya are important steps toward making women self-reliant. (Express File Photo) 
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