New Delhi, Nov 25 (IANS) Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj announced on Monday that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has re-launched the senior citizen pension scheme, despite challenges posed by the Central government.

The scheme, offering financial assistance to Delhi residents aged 60 and above, was revived under the leadership of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who had previously launched it but saw it halted during political setbacks.

The re-launched scheme has seen overwhelming interest, with over 10,000 applications on its first day. The government has opened 80,000 new registration slots to accommodate the demand.

Speaking to IANS, Saurabh Bharadwaj emphasised the significance of the scheme for elderly residents. “Today is a very big day for the elderly in Delhi. The senior citizen pension scheme was stopped in the past, but now, after Arvind Kejriwal returned, it has been re-launched."

"We’ve re-launched 80,000 pensions today for the people of Delhi. Under the scheme, senior citizens aged 60-69 will receive ₹2,000 per month, while those aged 70 and above will receive ₹2,500. Additional benefits are provided for applicants from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and minority communities,” he said.

Old-age pensions have long been a political flashpoint in Delhi. Earlier this year, the BJP criticised the Delhi government for failing to expand the scheme since 2018, despite its capacity to accommodate an additional one lakh beneficiaries.

In response, the AAP government accused the Central government of withholding its contribution to the pensions, with the issue only resolved after persistent lobbying.

As Delhi heads into the 2025 Assembly elections, with the current term ending in February, former CM Kejriwal has called on voters to re-elect the AAP, promising to fulfil all remaining projects in the next term.