Rekha Gupta defends three-child limit for Lakshmi Yojana beneficiaries
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta defended the three-child limit for the Lakshmi Yojana welfare scheme, citing women's health as the primary motivation. The policy has faced criticism from opposition parties who questioned the criteria in light of broader political discourse on family size.
Why it matters
The policy reflects a intersection of public health initiatives and political debates regarding population control and women's rights.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday defended the three-child limit for beneficiaries of the Delhi government’s Lakshmi Yojana, saying the condition was intended to protect women’s health and that decisions on family size should be left to individuals.
Under the scheme, women aged 21 to 60 with more than three children are not eligible for the monthly assistance of ₹2,500. Ms. Gupta was responding to criticism from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, who had questioned the condition while citing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks that Hindus should have as many children as possible.
“If a family wants to expand, it will not stop after listening to Rekha Gupta. Nor will it expand if Mohan Bhagwat says so. People make decisions about family planning according to their own needs,” Ms. Gupta said in the Assembly.
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