26.3 lakh ineligible women received monthly payout under Ladki Bahin scheme in Maharashtra, reveals women and child welfare minister Aditi Tatkare
The ineligible beneficiaries have now been suspended.
The revelation comes shortly after reports that 14,298 men fraudulently received the Rs 1,500 per month stipend, causing a loss of Rs 21.4 crore to the state exchequer.
In a statement on X, Tatkare said that her department undertook a scrutiny of the scheme by seeking information from all govt departments. The IT department reported that approximately 26.3 lakh beneficiaries availed of the benefits despite being ineligible.
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"It has been found that some beneficiaries were availing benefits of multiple schemes. Some families had more than two beneficiaries. And in some cases, men applied for the scheme," Tatkare said on X.
Since last month, the benefits of the 26.3 lakh ineligible beneficiaries have been temporarily suspended. Around 2.2 crore eligible applicants received the stipend for the month of June.
Tatkare said the information about the 26.3 lakh ineligible women whose benefits were temporarily suspended will be verified by the respective district collectors.
The benefits of those who are found eligible after this exercise will be resumed. "Regarding the action to be taken against fraudulent beneficiaries who misled the govt and availed benefits through improper means, a suitable decision will be taken at the govt level," she said on X.
The Ladki Bahin scheme provides a stipend of Rs 1,500 per month to married, divorced, widowed, deserted, and destitute women, aged between 21 and 65, whose annual family income is below Rs 2.5 lakh and who are domiciled in the state.
One eligible unmarried woman from each family will also be considered for the scheme.
The Ladki Bahin scheme was a game-changer and was among the factors which powered the landslide victory of the Mahayuti alliance in the 2024 assembly polls.
Soon after he took charge in Dec 2024, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the beneficiaries would be scrutinised. By Feb 2025, the state dropped 5 lakh ineligible beneficiaries from the scheme.
This included those who crossed the age of 65 years and beneficiaries under the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana, which also provides a monthly stipend of Rs 1,500 per month, have been removed from the scheme. Beneficiaries of the Ladki Bahin Yojana can avail of benefits under another govt scheme only if the combined benefit is sealed at Rs 1,500.
By April, the state govt reduced the stipend of 8 lakh beneficiaries of its flagship Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana because they were also receiving benefits under another govt scheme: the Namo Shetkari Mahasanmnan Nidhi.
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