Delhi Ladli Scheme 2026: Eligibility, Benefit & Apply: Delhi Ladli Scheme gave girl children an SBI Life bond payable at 18. It closed to new applicants on 31 March 2026, replaced by Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana..Birth Benefit: ₹11,000. Each Milestone: ₹5,000. Claim At: Age 18. Status: Closed to New.The Delhi Ladli Scheme was launched in January 2008 by the Delhi government with the primary objective of reducing female foeticide and child sex discrimination in the capital. At the time of its launch, Delhi had one of the most skewed sex ratios among metropolitan cities in India, and the scheme was designed to create a direct financial incentive for families to welcome, nurture, and educate their daughters through an SBI Life Insurance-backed bond mechanism.
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Active SchemeUpdated: June 2026
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Delhi Ladli Scheme 2026: Eligibility, Benefit & Apply
Delhi Ladli Scheme gave girl children an SBI Life bond payable at 18. It closed to new applicants on 31 March 2026, replaced by Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana.
Birth Benefit
₹11,000
Each Milestone
₹5,000
Claim At
Age 18
Status
Closed to New
📖What is Delhi Ladli Scheme 2026: Eligibility, Benefit & Apply?
The Delhi Ladli Scheme was launched in January 2008 by the Delhi government with the primary objective of reducing female foeticide and child sex discrimination in the capital. At the time of its launch, Delhi had one of the most skewed sex ratios among metropolitan cities in India, and the scheme was designed to create a direct financial incentive for families to welcome, nurture, and educate their daughters through an SBI Life Insurance-backed bond mechanism.
The scheme provides a fixed monetary benefit at the girl child's birth and at each subsequent school enrollment milestone, with the Delhi government depositing the corresponding amount directly into an SBI Life Insurance bond in the girl's name. The bond accumulates the deposits over the years of schooling and matures into a larger lump sum payable to the girl when she turns 18, subject to her having passed Class 10 and not married before the age of 18.
✅Eligibility
Important updateClosed to new applicants on 31 March 2026. New girls now go to Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana.
Existing beneficiariesGirls already enrolled keep their bonds and pending milestone payments.
Birth benefitRs 11,000 for a government-hospital birth, Rs 10,000 otherwise.
School milestonesRs 5,000 each at Class 1, 6, 9, 10, and 12.
ClaimThe SBI Life bond matures and is claimed at age 18 after passing Class 10.
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📖What the Delhi Ladli Scheme Is
The birth benefit under the Delhi Ladli Scheme distinguishes between girls born in a government hospital (Rs 11,000) and those born in an institutional setting other than a government hospital (Rs 10,000). This differential was designed to incentivise families to seek government hospital deliveries, which are safer and free of charge, while also ensuring that girls born in private or non-government institutional settings are not entirely excluded from the scheme's benefits.
After the birth benefit, the scheme provides Rs 5,000 at each of five subsequent school milestones: Class 1 admission, Class 6 admission, Class 9 admission, Class 10 admission, and Class 11 admission. All five milestone amounts are similarly deposited into the SBI Life bond in the girl's name, bringing the total Delhi government contribution per girl to Rs 36,000 (government hospital birth) or Rs 35,000 (other institutional birth).
Important: Closed to New Applicants
The Delhi Ladli Scheme stopped taking new applications on 31 March 2026. From 1 April 2026, new girl children are registered under the Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana instead.
If your daughter is already enrolled in Ladli, her SBI Life bond and pending milestone payments continue as normal. This page is mainly useful for existing beneficiaries.
📖What the Delhi Ladli Scheme Is More
The SBI Life Insurance bond mechanism is a distinctive feature of the Delhi Ladli Scheme. Rather than paying cash to the family at each milestone, the Delhi government deposits the amounts with SBI Life, which invests and manages the funds with the bond growing over the years, so the maturity value at age 18 is higher than the sum of deposits due to investment returns accumulated during the girl's school years.
Eligibility for the Delhi Ladli Scheme requires the girl to have been born in Delhi on or after 1 January 2008 to a family with at least three years of Delhi residency and an annual income not exceeding Rs 1 lakh. The girl must be enrolled in a Delhi government-recognised school (government, government-aided, or MCD school) to receive the school milestone benefits at Class 1, 6, 9, 10, and 11.
₹11,000
Birth (Govt Hospital)
₹5,000
Each School Stage
Age 18
Bond Matures
2
Girls Max
💰The Milestone Benefits
The scheme is open to families from all communities, castes, and religions, with no caste certificate required for enrollment. However, the family must have a girl child registered under the Delhi Ladli Scheme within a specific period of the birth, and the application must include the girl's birth certificate, the mother's Aadhaar, the family's Delhi domicile proof, and the income certificate issued by a competent authority.
A family can enroll a maximum of two girl children under the Delhi Ladli Scheme; if there are three or more daughters, only the first two are eligible for enrollment. This cap was introduced to balance the scheme's objectives of promoting girl child welfare with fiscal sustainability, without penalising families with more than two daughters in any other way.
📋Delhi Ladli Scheme: Milestone Benefits at a Glance
| Milestone | Amount Paid by Delhi Govt |
|---|---|
| Birth in government hospital | Rs 11,000 |
| Birth in other (non-government) institutional setting | Rs 10,000 |
| Admission to Class 1 | Rs 5,000 |
| Admission to Class 6 | Rs 5,000 |
| Admission to Class 9 | Rs 5,000 |
| Admission to Class 10 | Rs 5,000 |
| Admission to Class 11 | Rs 5,000 |
| Maturity / claim | When girl turns 18 and has passed Class 10 |
| Bond administered by | SBI Life Insurance Company |
| Delhi govt contribution | Rs 36,000 (govt hospital birth) or Rs 35,000 (other) |
💰The Milestone Benefits More
The claim process under the Delhi Ladli Scheme requires the girl to be at least 18 years old, to have passed Class 10 (Matric), and to not have been married before the age of 18. When these conditions are met, the girl child or her family can apply for the bond maturity payout through the school or district WCD office, and SBI Life Insurance pays the maturity amount directly to the girl's bank account.
The Delhi Ladli Scheme is administered by the Women and Child Development Department (WCD), Government of NCT of Delhi. Schools play a crucial role in the scheme's delivery, as the milestone benefits (from Class 1 to Class 11) are routed through the school, with the headmistress or principal required to submit the enrollment details to the WCD department to trigger the corresponding deposit to SBI Life.
Eligibility (for existing beneficiaries)
You qualify if
- Girl born in Delhi on or after 1 January 2008
- Family resident in Delhi
- Family income within the scheme limit
- Up to two girls per family
- Enrolled before the 31 March 2026 closure
You won't qualify if
- New applicant after 31 March 2026
- Born before January 2008
- A third girl child in the family
- Family income above the limit
- Not a Delhi resident at enrollment
🏦How the SBI Life Bond Works
One of the most important aspects of the Delhi Ladli Scheme is its anti-dowry and anti-foeticide effect on community attitudes. When the scheme was first launched, civil society organisations noted that it gave low-income families with strong son preference a concrete financial reason to celebrate a daughter's birth; the sustained multi-milestone payout structure reinforces this attitude-shifting effect year after year throughout the girl's schooling.
The maturity amount of the SBI Life bond under Delhi Ladli is typically higher than the simple sum of deposits due to insurance investment returns generated during the accumulation period; the exact value depends on investment performance but is generally above the Rs 36,000 (or Rs 35,000) deposited. Beneficiaries should contact SBI Life or the WCD department close to the maturity date to confirm the exact bond maturity value.
Age 18
When the Bond Can Be Claimed
The SBI Life bond matures when the girl turns 18, provided she has passed Class 10 and is enrolled in or has completed Class 12.
Start the claim a few months before her 18th birthday, with the bond papers, Aadhaar, and bank details ready. The maturity amount is usually higher than the simple sum of deposits.
🏦How the SBI Life Bond Works More
Parents who applied for the Delhi Ladli Scheme when their daughters were born before 2015 may find that some administrative records were maintained in a paper-based system. In such cases, tracking the bond status requires visiting the district WCD office with the enrollment acknowledgement, SBI Life policy number, and milestone school records; the WCD office can then liaise directly with SBI Life to verify and update the bond status on record.
Girls who are approaching 18 and plan to claim the Delhi Ladli maturity bond should begin the process a few months in advance, as verification of age, Class 10 pass certificate, and non-marriage confirmation can take time to process. The school counsellor or the WCD district office can guide the girl and her family through the documentation required for the maturity claim at SBI Life.
What Changed With the Switch
Higher benefit
Lakhpati Bitiya deposits Rs 61,000, maturing to about Rs 1.20 lakh, more than old Ladli.
New applicants only
From April 2026, new girls register under Lakhpati Bitiya, not Ladli.
Existing bonds safe
Ladli beneficiaries keep their bonds and pending milestone payments.
Data migration
Old Ladli data is being moved to the new Lakhpati Bitiya portal.
✅Who Was Eligible
The Delhi Ladli Scheme has influenced the design of similar girl child schemes in other Indian states. States like Haryana (with the Ladli scheme, since discontinued in favour of Beti Bachao initiatives), Jharkhand, and others have drawn on the Delhi Ladli model of milestone-linked bonds as a way to keep girl children in school and create a tangible long-term financial asset tied to educational outcomes.
The scheme complements other girl child welfare initiatives in Delhi, such as the Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana (which provides a higher cumulative cash payout), the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (a central government savings scheme for girls), and the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao awareness campaign. A girl enrolled in Delhi Ladli may simultaneously benefit from the Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana if she qualifies for that scheme, making the total state-backed financial support even larger.
Keep Your Enrollment Active
If your daughter is in Ladli, make sure each school milestone is updated so the Rs 5,000 deposits continue. Schools and anganwadi workers usually help with this.
Keep the bond papers and your contact details current with the WCD department, so there is no problem when you claim at age 18.
✅Who Was Eligible More
Renewal and verification of enrollment status is important for families whose daughters were enrolled in Delhi Ladli several years ago but did not consistently submit school milestone documents. The WCD department has provisions for families to catch up on missed milestone submissions if the enrollment is still active and the girl remains in school; families in this situation should contact the district WCD office promptly to avoid losing milestone credits permanently.
The birth registration of the girl child is a prerequisite for applying under the Delhi Ladli Scheme, and the birth must be registered with MCD or NDMC with the certificate clearly stating both the place of birth (which determines the Rs 11,000 vs Rs 10,000 benefit) and the date of birth. Late birth registrations may complicate the initial enrollment, so families are strongly advised to complete registration promptly to protect the girl's eligibility for the birth benefit.
Jab meri beti Class 11 mein aayi tab school ne bataya ki Ladli scheme ka paisa jama ho raha hai SBI Life mein. Ab jab woh 18 ki hogi, ek achha paisa milega. Hamne 2008 mein hi enroll karaya tha - scheme ne sach mein tab se uska saath diya.
📝How to Claim the Matured Bond
Girls who complete all milestones under the Delhi Ladli Scheme and successfully claim the maturity amount at age 18 receive a meaningful financial asset at exactly the life stage when it is most valuable: at the beginning of adulthood, just when higher education or vocational training choices are being made. The maturity payout from SBI Life, even if modest relative to the cost of higher education in Delhi, provides a financial head start that would otherwise be absent for many girls from low-income households.
The Delhi government periodically reviews the scheme and updates the eligibility criteria and benefit amounts. Families applying to Delhi Ladli in 2026 should download the latest application form from the WCD Delhi website or collect it from the nearest Mahila Shakti Kendra and verify that the income ceiling and other eligibility parameters they are applying under match the current year's official notification rather than an older version of the guidelines.
📑Delhi Ladli Scheme: Quick Reference
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Scheme launched | January 2008 |
| Birth benefit | Rs 11,000 (govt hospital) / Rs 10,000 (other institutional birth) |
| School milestones | Rs 5,000 each at Class 1, 6, 9, 10, 11 admission |
| Total deposit | Rs 36,000 (govt hospital birth) or Rs 35,000 |
| Bond type | SBI Life Insurance bond (accumulates with returns) |
| Maturity condition | Girl turns 18 + has passed Class 10 + not married before 18 |
| Income limit | Family income ≤ Rs 1 lakh per annum |
| Delhi residency required | At least 3 years prior to birth |
| Max daughters per family | 2 (only first 2 girls enrolled) |
| Administered by | WCD Dept, Govt of NCT of Delhi + SBI Life Insurance |
📝How to Claim the Matured Bond More
The school's role in the Delhi Ladli Scheme is central to its success; teachers and administrators who are aware of the scheme can proactively identify enrolled girl students at each class admission and ensure that milestone submission documents are sent to the WCD department without delay. Schools that actively participate in milestone notifications have higher Ladli completion rates and ensure enrolled students receive all benefits they are entitled to.
The Delhi Ladli Scheme has survived multiple changes of government in Delhi since its 2008 launch, reflecting a broad political consensus that girl child welfare investments are a non-negotiable public commitment. Even as other schemes have been started, modified, or wound up across successive Delhi budgets, the Ladli Scheme has continued with the SBI Life partnership intact, demonstrating the institutional durability of well-designed girl child welfare programmes.
Ladli vs Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana Notes
Parents of daughters currently enrolled in the Delhi Ladli Scheme but who have changed schools (for example, from an MCD school to a government-aided private school) should inform both the old and new school of the Ladli enrollment status and ensure that the WCD department's records are updated to reflect the change in school. The milestone submission for each class admission must come from the current school where the girl is enrolled at the time of that transition.
For working mothers in Delhi who cannot take time off to complete Ladli enrollment in person, the anganwadi worker in their area or the Mahila Shakti Kendra can often assist with the application process. The Delhi government has also facilitated some aspects of Ladli administration through the e-District Delhi portal, reducing the number of in-person visits needed to complete the initial enrollment and subsequent milestone submissions.
🔄Ladli vs Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana More
Delhi's Ladli Scheme is one of the few girl child welfare schemes in India that explicitly links the maturity of the benefit to the girl's own academic achievement (Class 10 pass) rather than purely to her age. This design choice is deliberate: it creates a direct financial incentive not just for enrollment but for retention and educational attainment, ensuring that the scheme's benefits reinforce rather than merely supplement the girl's academic journey.
Families who are simultaneously enrolled in both Delhi Ladli and the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY), the central government's savings scheme for girls with tax benefits and higher interest rates, have two complementary tools for building their daughter's long-term financial security. The Delhi government deposit in the Ladli SBI Life bond and the family's own SSY contributions together create a multi-layered financial asset for the girl by the time she reaches adulthood.
For Families Already Enrolled Notes
The Delhi Ladli Scheme's focus on the school system as a delivery channel means that girls who are out of school for any reason (illness, family migration, or dropout) risk missing milestone submissions and losing out on future benefits. Families in such situations should proactively contact the district WCD office to put the enrollment on hold or seek guidance on whether re-enrollment after a school break is possible, rather than assuming the benefits will automatically resume when the girl re-joins school.
For girls born before January 2008 in Delhi, the Ladli Scheme was not available as it specifically covers girls born on or after 1 January 2008. Older girl children from eligible families may still benefit from the Delhi Lakhpati Bitiya Yojana if its eligibility dates permit, or from the central government's Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (which allows account opening up to age 10); families should check each scheme's current guidelines to determine which their daughter qualifies for.
Overall, the Delhi Ladli Scheme represents a committed, long-duration investment by the Delhi government in each enrolled girl child, spanning from birth through higher secondary school and delivering a financial payout precisely at the transition to adulthood. By tying both the deposits and the maturity to educational participation and achievement, the scheme goes beyond simple cash transfers to create a sustained partnership between the state, the school, and the family in the girl's educational journey.
📝How to Apply
1
Register the birth and get birth certificate
Complete the girl child's birth registration with MCD or NDMC within the prescribed time. The birth certificate must clearly show the place of delivery (government hospital or other) and date of birth, as both determine the benefit amount and scheme eligibility.
2
Collect and fill the application form
Download the Delhi Ladli Scheme application form from the WCD Delhi website or collect it from the nearest Mahila Shakti Kendra, Anganwadi centre, or district WCD office. Fill in all required details including the girl's birth details, parents' information, income details, and domicile.
3
Submit with documents to district WCD office
Submit the filled application along with the girl's birth certificate, mother's Aadhaar, Delhi domicile proof (voter ID or domicile certificate for 3+ years), family income certificate (not exceeding Rs 1 lakh/year), and two passport-size photographs to the district Women and Child Development office.
4
Birth benefit deposited to SBI Life bond
After verification, the WCD department initiates the deposit of the birth benefit (Rs 11,000 or Rs 10,000) to an SBI Life Insurance bond opened in the girl child's name. You will receive the bond/policy details which you must keep safely for future milestone submissions and the maturity claim.
5
School milestone submissions
At each school milestone (Class 1, 6, 9, 10, 11 admission), the school headmistress submits the girl's enrollment details to the WCD department, which then deposits Rs 5,000 into the SBI Life bond. Parents should inform the school principal of the girl's Ladli enrollment at the time of each new admission.
6
Claim maturity at age 18
When the girl turns 18 and has passed Class 10, apply for the bond maturity payout through the district WCD office or directly to SBI Life with the bond details, the girl's age proof (Aadhaar/birth certificate), Class 10 pass certificate, and a self-declaration of non-marriage before 18.
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📋 Official Sources & Verification
Information verified against official government portals and gazette notifications. Read our editorial process.
Researched & verified from official sources
Last reviewed
June 2026
June 2026