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Synopsis

The Delhi High Court on Friday last week sought the stand of the Delhi government on a plea seeking proper implementation of the Ladli Scheme launched in 2008 to enhance the social status of girls by ensuring their education and economic security.

A division bench Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad asked the counsel for the Delhi government to seek instructions on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which claimed that funds to the tune of Rs. 364 crore under the scheme are lying unclaimed with authorities.

In his plea, the petitioner, Aakash Goel, stated that as per RTI replies, more than Rs 364 crore belonging to 1,82,894 Ladli Scheme beneficiaries aged above 21 are lying with the State Bank of India.

The plea sought a writ of mandamus for proper implementation of the Delhi Ladli Scheme 2008 and disbursement of the funds to the tune of Rs. 364 crores lying unclaimed with the Delhi government.

It stated that the aim of the scheme was to enhance the social status of the girl child in society as well in the family ensuring proper education to make them self-reliant, ensuring her economic security by depositing Rs. 1,00,000 in her bank account by the time she attains the age of 18 and protecting them from discrimination and deprivation.

“The process for availing the benefit of the Ladli Scheme in Delhi is a complicated process which required various multiple documents which a person belonging to the poor household may or may not have such as Ration Card, Voter ID, etc which have been deemed necessary to prove the person is living in Delhi for more than 3 years”, the plea stated.

The plea further stated that the scheme requires re-registration at the time of reaching each milestone and thus the same documents are produced again and again by the Applicant despite already producing them previously and getting registered for the same. Thus, even if one document as per the rules of the Delhi Ladli Scheme is unavailable, the applicant is disqualified from applying for the benefits under it without being given an opportunity to rectify the shortcomings that may have arisen.

“The Ladli Scheme requires students to apply for a new bank account with SBI just for receiving funds resulting in a girl child having multiple bank accounts. To avoid such multiplicity, the Ladli Scheme shall include the bank account already existing with the Girl child and integrate the same”, the plea read.

The matter will be heard next on August 2, 2023.

Case Title: Aakash Goel v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi