Maharashtra's Ladki Bahin scheme faces fresh heat as women allege payments stopped
Ahead of Raksha Bandhan, Maharashtra's flagship Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana has landed in the middle of a political storm, with thousands of women claiming
Ahead of Raksha Bandhan, Maharashtra's flagship Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana has landed in the middle of a political storm, with thousands of women claiming their monthly Rs 1,500 assistance has suddenly stopped. The controversy comes amid reports that nearly 92 lakh beneficiaries are being removed from the scheme and a CAG report flagging financial irregularities worth over Rs 3,500 crore, raising fresh questions over one of the Mahayuti government's biggest election promises. Read Full Story An India Today ground report from Akola paints a striking picture. Two women living in the same slum, with nearly identical financial backgrounds, have had vastly different experiences under the scheme. One continues to receive the monthly assistance that keeps her household running, while the other's payments stopped three months ago despite repeated visits to banks and government offices. TWO NEIGHBOURS, TWO DIFFERENT REALITIES In Maruti Nagar slum in Akola, Sangeeta Gedam says the Rs 1,500 assistance has become a lifeline for her family. Her husband works at a sawmill and the money helps pay for groceries and daily household expenses. "This Rs 1,500 runs my kitchen. It is a big support," she said. However, she also questioned why the government's election promise of increasing the monthly assistance to Rs 2,100 has not materialised. "During elections, they promised Rs 2,100. Where is that money now?" she asked. Just a few lanes away lives Poonam Kauskar, whose husband drives an auto-rickshaw. Like Sangeeta, Poonam had been receiving the monthly assistance until it abruptly stopped three months ago. "For three months, my money has stopped.
I completed my e-KYC, but the bank sends me to the department, and the department sends me back," she said. "Was this scheme only active till election day?" Poonam said the money helped pay for LPG cylinders, her children's education and household expenses. Despite completing the required formalities, she says no one has explained why her payments have been stopped. With Raksha Bandhan approaching, she appealed to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to restore the assistance. CAG FLAGS Rs 3,541 CRORE IRREGULARITY The political row intensified after the Comptroller and Auditor General flagged major financial irregularities in the implementation of the scheme. According to the audit, the government spent Rs 3,541 crore beyond the sanctioned budget. The report also found that Rs 15,586 crore was parked in Virtual Personal Deposit Accounts without any immediate requirement, raising concerns over financial management and budgetary discipline. The findings have handed fresh ammunition to the Opposition. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Arvind Sawant alleged the scheme was used to influence voters during the Assembly elections. "They removed 92 lakh sisters. This means they bribed nearly 2.7 crore voters to win the election. This scheme was nothing but a transactional political gimmick. Will the government survive if these voters reject them now?" he said. GOVERNMENT SAYS ELIGIBLE WOMEN WILL NOT SUFFER Rejecting reports that large numbers of eligible women were being arbitrarily removed from the scheme, Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare said the ongoing verification drive was aimed at identifying ineligible applicants and ensuring benefits reached genuine beneficiaries.
The BriefWire