26.34 lakh ‘ineligible' beneficiaries will be temporarily suspended under Ladki Bahin scheme
'The benefits for 26.34 lakh applicants have been temporarily suspended starting from June 2025. The instalments for the month have been disbursed to 2.25 crore eligible beneficiaries,' said Minister for Women and Child Development Aditi Tatkare, adding the suspended beneficiaries' eligibility will be verified by the respective District Collectors.
The Department of Women and Child Development had sought information from all government departments to verify the eligibility of all applications.
'The Information and Technology Department reported that approximately 26.34 lakh beneficiaries, despite being ineligible, became beneficiaries of the scheme,' said Aditi Tatkare, Minister for Women and Child Development, on X.
The Ladki Bahin scheme was launched in August 2024 ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly election held in November 2024. The scheme was considered one of the reasons for the BJP-led Mahayuti victory in the election. However, after the elections, the government started the scrutiny of the beneficiaries availing the scheme. Since then, the government has regularly suspended ineligible beneficiaries.
State government will resume the scheme benefits for those found eligible after the verification, while action will be taken against fraudulent beneficiaries who have 'misled the government' and availed benefits through 'improper means'.
Ms. Tatkare pointed out that all the ineligible beneficiaries were availing benefits of multiple schemes, some families had more than two beneficiaries, or men applied for the scheme.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday expressed that stern action will be taken against men who took advantage of the scheme, saying the Ladki Bahin scheme is for poor women, and it makes no sense for men to be the beneficiaries. So, money will be recovered. Action will be taken on the non-cooperation. He was responding to reports of 14,000 men being the beneficiaries of the scheme.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
13 minutes ago
- First Post
‘Living skeleton': Who are the two Israeli hostages seen in new videos from Gaza?
Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski have been identified as the two Israeli hostages seen in recently released videos recorded by their captors. David appeared in a video released by Hamas, while Braslavski was seen in footage released by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Notably, Israeli officials have accused Hamas of denying the hostages food, while the group claims they are given the same food as its fighters and civilians amid the ongoing hunger crisis in Gaza read more Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski have been identified as the two Israeli hostages shown in recently released videos recorded by their captors. Notably, Hamas shared two separate videos of David within less than two days. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group released a video showing Braslavski, appearing pale and frail, months after he was first seen on camera. ALSO READ | Why Israel minister's visit to al-Aqsa mosque has sparked outrage Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which works in coordination with Hamas but operates independently, is holding at least one of the 49 hostages still believed to be in Gaza. Israeli authorities say around 20 of them may still be alive. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The release of these videos has been condemned by several Western leaders, while Israeli officials have accused Hamas of denying the hostages food. Over the weekend, crowds gathered in Tel Aviv, including relatives of the hostages and protesters, once again urging the Israeli government to bring them home. In this explainer, we break down who the hostages are and what is known about the developments so far. Let's take a look: Who is Evyatar David? David was captured by Hamas during the attack on the Nova music festival in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. On that day, Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people and kidnapped about 250 others. David, who is 24 years old, has been held in Gaza ever since. The latest footage shows him speaking from what looks like a Hamas tunnel. In moments that have shocked and upset many in Israel, he is seen digging what he says might be his own grave. Speaking under pressure, he appeals to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire. 'Today is 27 July, at 12pm, I don't know what I'm going to eat. I haven't eaten for a few days in a row,' David says in a faint, strained voice. He then turns around and walks away, showing how thin he has become. 'Time is running out. You are the only ones who can end this,' he says, appearing to address Israel's leadership. David's family later issued a statement, blaming Hamas for starving him for the purpose of propaganda. 'We are forced to witness our dear son and brother Evyatar being deliberately and cynically starved in Hamas's tunnels in Gaza – a living skeleton buried alive. Our son has only a few days left to live in his current condition,' their statement said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Starved. Broken. Forced to dig his own grave. This is the real famine in Gaza - Palestinian Hamas is starving the hostages. NEVER AGAIN IS NOW🎗️🎗️🎗️ — Israel ישראל (@Israel) August 3, 2025 The video has drawn criticism from Western countries. France, Germany, the UK and the US all expressed outrage. Israel's foreign ministry said the UN Security Council will hold a special session on Tuesday morning to discuss the hostage situation in Gaza. Who is Rom Braslavski? Braslavski was working as a security guard at the Nova music festival when he was kidnapped. Witnesses say he managed to help several people escape before being taken. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a video of Braslavski, saying it was recorded just days before they lost contact with the group that had been holding him. The group also claimed they were no longer aware of what had happened to him, according to The Times of Israel. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In the video, 21-year-old Braslavski identifies himself and begs the Israeli government to secure his release. He appears weak and pale, lying on the ground and watching a news report about the hunger crisis in Gaza. His father, Ofir, reacted after the video was aired on Channel 12. 'What can I say? He's dying. You're watching your son dying before your eyes and there's nothing you can do,' he said. What did Netanyahu say? After the release of the videos, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with the families of the two hostages. He expressed 'profound shock' and assured them that efforts to bring all hostages home 'will continue constantly and relentlessly'. On Sunday, Netanyahu also spoke with the regional head of the Red Cross, urging immediate help in providing food and medical care to the hostages. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he was 'deeply shocked' as he watched the 'horrifying' videos released by Hamas of Israeli hostages Evyatar David and Rom Braslavski — Reuters (@Reuters) August 4, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reiterated its appeal to be allowed access to the hostages. The organisation said it wants to check on their condition, offer medical support and help them communicate with their families. Over the weekend in Tel Aviv, crowds gathered once again, including families of hostages, calling on the Israeli government to take action and ensure the hostages' release. At a rally on Saturday, the families of David and Braslavski said, 'everyone must get out of hell, now.' Demonstrators take part in a protest to demand the immediate release of hostages held in Gaza, in Tel Aviv, Israel. Reuters What did Hamas say? Hamas stated that any coordination with the Red Cross would depend on Israel keeping humanitarian routes open and stopping airstrikes while aid is being delivered. In response to Israeli leaders accusing them of starving hostages, Hamas's armed wing denied doing so on purpose. It claimed that hostages receive the same food as its fighters and civilians during the ongoing hunger crisis in Gaza. Meanwhile, ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have stalled. Talks aimed at exchanging hostages for Palestinian prisoners have made little progress. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Last month, Israeli and American negotiators left Doha, Qatar, where the discussions are taking place, without reaching an agreement. Mass hunger in Gaza Aid groups have accused Israel of driving Gaza towards famine by using food as a tool in its war against Hamas, a claim that Israel denies. Israel has said there is 'no starvation' in Gaza and that it is not blocking aid. However, several of its close allies in Europe, along with the UN and other humanitarian groups working in the region, have rejected these claims. Palestinians carry aid supplies that entered Gaza through Israel, in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters According to Gaza's health ministry, 175 people, including 93 children, have died from what international agencies warn may be the early stages of famine since the conflict began. The ministry added that a lack of fuel has left hospitals struggling to operate, with doctors now focusing only on patients in the most critical condition. With inputs from agencies
Indian Express
13 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘It's not a genocide… it's a war': US President Donald Trump on Israel-Gaza conflict
US President Donald Trump Monday said he doesn't think the war in Gaza is a 'genocide', asserting that 'some horrible things happened' during the Hamas-led attack that triggered the war on October 7, 2023. Trump's response came after he was asked by the reporters whether he characterises Israel's response as a genocide. 'I don't think it's that,' he said, adding, 'They're in a war.' The US President also said that he wants 'Gazans to be fed' and US is the only country that's really doing that. 'We want the people fed — and we're the only country that's really doing that. We're putting up money to get the people fed… We want Israel to get them fed,' Trump said before boarding Air Force One in Allentown, Pennsylvania. 'We don't want people to starve, and there's some bad things happening,' he added. The UN has accused the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) saying its aid efforts put civilians in danger. More than 1,000 people have been killed while trying to get aid from GHF points since the group began operating in Gaza in May, with most reportedly shot by Israeli forces near those sites, it said. President Donald Trump's US envoy, Steve Witkoff visited Gaza on Friday (August 1) to get a clear picture of the humanitarian situation and help craft a plan to deliver food and medical aid to the people of Gaza. It was the first visit by a senior US official to Gaza since the war began last October. Witkoff's visit came a day after he met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel has been facing growing criticism over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, according to Gaza's health ministry. More than a dozen former senior Israeli officials have called for an end to the war in Gaza, arguing that the fighting has dragged on for political reasons and Israel has racked up more losses than victories. In a joint video, the officials argued that the war in Gaza could have ended long ago. They also demanded Israel to agree to a permanent ceasefire with a comprehensive deal that will allow release of the remaining hostages.
Economic Times
13 minutes ago
- Economic Times
ED summons top executives of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group: Report
ANI ED has summoned Anil Ambani in Rs 17,000-crore loan fraud case on August 5. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday issued summons to several top executives of the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Group in connection with an ongoing money laundering investigation, a day before Ambani himself is slated to appear before the agency. According to ET Now, which cited sources familiar with the development, senior group executives including Amitabh Jhunjhunwala and Sateesh Seth are among those summoned. The ED has reportedly issued at least six summons under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) so far. All the executives had previously been subject to searches by the ED as part of its probe. The agency suspects that these individuals played key roles in orchestrating transactions that allegedly defrauded a consortium of Infrastructure shares were trading at Rs 296.15, down 4.99% on Monday at 1:51 PM. Meanwhile, Reliance Power's shares were down by 5.01% at the same time. An ET Bureau exclusive report on Monday revealed that the ED also plans to summon officials from nearly 20 public and private sector banks that had extended loans to various Reliance Group companies. The agency intends to question these officials on the due diligence exercised before sanctioning loans and the steps taken when repayments failed. 'We want to ascertain what action the banks took, if any, against the companies which defaulted. Did they lodge a complaint with any investigating agency, seeking registration of a criminal case against the companies?' a senior official told ET. According to the ET report, ED's line of inquiry will include understanding the credit assessment processes followed by lenders, many of whom are believed to have issued loans that later turned into non-performing assets. The money laundering investigation centres around alleged irregularities in loans worth approximately Rs 17,000 crore extended to three Reliance Group companies—Reliance Home Finance Ltd (RHFL), Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd (RCFL), and Reliance Communications (RCom). According to ED data cited by the ET report, RHFL owes over Rs 5,901 crore, RCFL Rs 8,226 crore, and RCom nearly Rs 4,105 crore to various lenders. Apart from Yes Bank, other financial institutions involved include State Bank of India, UCO Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Bank of India, and Punjab and Sind Bank. ET was the first to report on August 1 that the ED had summoned Anil Ambani for questioning. He is expected to appear at the ED headquarters in New Delhi on August 5. In a development linked to the case, the ED on Friday arrested Partha Sarathi Biswal, managing director of Odisha-based Biswal Tradelink Pvt Ltd (BTPL), for allegedly arranging a fake bank guarantee worth Rs 68 crore for a Reliance Group entity. The agency informed the court that Biswal had received Rs 5.40 crore from Reliance Power Ltd, parent company of Reliance Nu Bess Ltd, in return for the forged guarantee submitted for a tender floated by the Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd (SECI). According to the ED, documentary evidence indicates collusion between Biswal Tradelink and Reliance Nu Bess, contradicting the latter's claim of being defrauded. A senior official told ET, 'Documentary evidence reveals that apparently the two parties acted in collusion. The directors of Biswal Tradelink were found to be previous directors of Reliance Group.'The agency also recovered several incriminating documents and digital devices during its August 1 raids. It alleged that BTPL maintained multiple undisclosed bank accounts and conducted transactions disproportionate to its declared turnover, with "dummy directors" used to facilitate Delhi Police FIR in the case was initially based on a complaint by Reliance Nu Bess, accusing BTPL of fraud. However, ED officials now believe the two firms may have been jointly involved in the a statement issued Friday, the Reliance Group maintained that it acted 'bonafidely' and was itself a 'victim of fraud, forgery, and cheating conspiracy.' The group stated it had made due disclosures to stock exchanges in November 2024 and had lodged a criminal complaint against the third party with the Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing in October 2024.
