Ladli Behna aid will now cost state 22,000 cr/year
Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh govt would yearly require over Rs 22,000 crore for the Ladli Behna scheme after announcements made by the chief minister a day earlier to increase monthly financial assistance to Rs 1,500 from the existing Rs 1,250 from Diwali.
Through direct benefit transfer, the govt gives Rs 1,250 every month to over 1.27 crore women beneficiaries under the scheme. The Ladli Behna scheme, launched before the 2023 assembly elections, turned out to be a game changer and led the BJP to retain power with a thumping majority.
During the assembly elections, the govt promised to gradually increase the amount under the scheme to Rs 3,000 per month. Sources point out that close to two years of the govt's tenure is over, and it was important to make the announcement to increase the money from the existing Rs 1,250, which is why it was announced.
At present, the govt spends around Rs 1,551 crore every month under the scheme, providing Rs 1,250 per beneficiary.
With the proposed increase to Rs 1,500 from Diwali, the monthly expenditure is expected to rise to around Rs 1,861 crore. This Rs 250 hike per beneficiary would result in an additional monthly burden of Rs 310.30 crore. The amount would yearly cross Rs 22,000 crore. However, the number of women beneficiaries under the scheme has come down to 1.27 crore from 1.31 crore since it was launched.
The reason for the decrease in women beneficiaries is that the govt has not opened new registrations under the scheme since August 20, 2023, while the upper age limit in the scheme is 60 years. The scheme was considered a major reason for the BJP getting 163 seats in the 230-member state assembly in the 2023 assembly polls.
In the Ladli Behna scheme, the MP govt initially gave Rs 1,000 per month to women beneficiaries. On Aug 27, 2023, the earlier BJP govt announced that Ladli Bahana Yojana beneficiaries would get Rs 1,250 per month from Oct 2023.
It continues unchanged. The govt promised that from Rs 1,000, the financial assistance under the scheme would be increased to Rs 1,250, then Rs 1,500, then Rs 1,750, then Rs 2,000, and after that Rs 2,250, Rs 2,500, and Rs 2,750, respectively, until it reaches Rs 3,000 per month.
But so far, the money under the scheme has increased from Rs 1,000 per month to Rs 1,250 per month, and now an announcement has been made to increase it to Rs 1,500. There was reportedly no proposal in consideration to open new registration in the scheme.
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