Latest news with #MukhyamantriMazhiLadkiBahinYojana
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Contractors send notice to govt over ₹90,000cr pending dues, warn of going to court
Pune: Contractors executing critical infrastructural works across Maharashtra have sent a legal notice to the state govt on June 10, demanding payment of dues amounting to over Rs 90,000 crore. The notice sent to the chief minister, deputy chief ministers, chief secretary and heads of key departments, warned that they will approach Bombay high court if a payment schedule is not provided within a fortnight. The contractors, represented by Builders' Association of India (BAI) — a national body with over 230 branches — say dues include payments for roads, bridges, water supply, irrigation, and govt building repairs taken up for over a year. Public Works Department (PWD) alone owes them over ₹46,000 crore, association members said. "We wrote to govt in Feb but no concrete action was taken. We have now issued a formal legal notice. The situation is untenable," a senior BAI member, requesting anonymity, said. He added that it is discouraging to carry out infrastructural works when funds are not released on time. "Govt must revert within a fortnight or else we will have to take up the issue in Bombay high court," the BAI member told TOI. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo The notice states that non-payment of running bills has severely impacted contractors' ability to repay bank loans, leading to many accounts being classified as non-performing assets (NPAs). "This financial stress is not due to any fault of the contractors but entirely due to non-release of funds by the state," it reads. BAI said many projects under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) where semi-annual payments are promised post-completion have also been affected. "Payments are irregular and often as low as 6% to 7% of the billed amount which dissuades young contractors from entering the construction sector," the notice states. During repeated meetings with govt officials, BAI members say they have been told that budget constraints are delaying payments. What has angered the contractors is the state's massive outlay for Mukhyamantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana launched last year. "We have been waiting for our dues for works that have been completed. But here, govt is handing out Rs 1,500 monthly to 2.46 crore women spending over Rs 3,700 crore every month," the BAI member said. Text messages to the offices of the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and finance minister Ajit Pawar remained unanswered at the time of going to press. Break-up of dues PWD I ₹46,000 crore Jal Jeevan Mission I ₹18,000 crore Water Resources Department I ₹19,700 crore Rural Development Department I ₹8,600 crore Urban Development Department I ₹1,700 crore (BAI sources) Govt is free to run welfare programmes, but it must pay contractors who have completed public infrastructural work using borrowed funds BAI Member Pune: Contractors executing critical infrastructural works across Maharashtra have sent a legal notice to the state govt on June 10, demanding payment of dues amounting to over Rs 90,000 crore. The notice sent to the chief minister, deputy chief ministers, chief secretary and heads of key departments, warned that they will approach Bombay high court if a payment schedule is not provided within a fortnight. The contractors, represented by Builders' Association of India (BAI) — a national body with over 230 branches — say dues include payments for roads, bridges, water supply, irrigation, and govt building repairs taken up for over a year. Public Works Department (PWD) alone owes them over ₹46,000 crore, association members said. "We wrote to govt in Feb but no concrete action was taken. We have now issued a formal legal notice. The situation is untenable," a senior BAI member, requesting anonymity, said. He added that it is discouraging to carry out infrastructural works when funds are not released on time. "Govt must revert within a fortnight or else we will have to take up the issue in Bombay high court," the BAI member told TOI. The notice states that non-payment of running bills has severely impacted contractors' ability to repay bank loans, leading to many accounts being classified as non-performing assets (NPAs). "This financial stress is not due to any fault of the contractors but entirely due to non-release of funds by the state," it reads. BAI said many projects under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) where semi-annual payments are promised post-completion have also been affected. "Payments are irregular and often as low as 6% to 7% of the billed amount which dissuades young contractors from entering the construction sector," the notice states. During repeated meetings with govt officials, BAI members say they have been told that budget constraints are delaying payments. What has angered the contractors is the state's massive outlay for Mukhyamantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana launched last year. "We have been waiting for our dues for works that have been completed. But here, govt is handing out Rs 1,500 monthly to 2.46 crore women spending over Rs 3,700 crore every month," the BAI member said. Text messages to the offices of the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and finance minister Ajit Pawar remained unanswered at the time of going to press. Break-up of dues PWD I ₹46,000 crore Jal Jeevan Mission I ₹18,000 crore Water Resources Department I ₹19,700 crore Rural Development Department I ₹8,600 crore Urban Development Department I ₹1,700 crore (BAI sources) Govt is free to run welfare programmes, but it must pay contractors who have completed public infrastructural work using borrowed funds BAI Member Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
08-06-2025
- Time of India
1,000 ‘ladki bahins' in Nashik found getting double benefits
Nashik: In the Nashik division, authorities have identified approximately 1,000 women who are simultaneously receiving benefits from multiple schemes under the Mukhyamantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana. The department has flagged these cases and forwarded the list to respective districts for verification, according to a senior official from the women and child development department, Nashik division. "The list of such women beneficiaries was prepared at the central office and circulated to the officers at the district level. In the Nashik division, which comprises Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Dhule, Jalgaon, and Nandurbar districts, the number of such beneficiaries is more than 1,000. The names of more beneficiaries are being sent to us," said the official. The district authorities have been instructed to conduct home visits to verify these cases. Staff members must validate claims, collect responses from the women regarding govt claims, and take appropriate action. "These women will have to provide details of their bank accounts. If they are getting double benefits, they must explain their stand, and accordingly, a report will have to be filed by the officer," the officer added. The subsequent action, including potential removal from the scheme, will be based on the final report's findings. The official noted that these women are reportedly receiving benefits while being govt employees, contract workers, or beneficiaries of other programmes such as the Namo Shetkari Yojana and the Sanjay Gandhi Yojana for the destitute. Currently, there are no directives for recovering funds, and actions will be restricted to removing these women from the scheme, the officer confirmed.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
State to use I-T data to weed out ineligible ‘Ladki Bahin' beneficiaries
1 2 3 Pune: State govt is set to conduct a comprehensive verification of beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, leveraging income tax return data from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to ensure that the monthly Rs 1,500 aid reaches only economically weaker women. A notification issued by the CBDT on June 3 authorises the secretary of the state women and child development (WCD) department to access income tax (I-T) data under Section 138 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The department has already formed a team to review the existing list of 2.5 crore applicants. Officials said the verification would help identify and remove ineligible claimants, particularly those from families with higher incomes or tax-paying members. Earlier, a scrutiny of around 2 lakh applications had revealed that 2,289 government employees had registered under the scheme. These names were promptly removed. State WCD minister Aditi Tatkare had described such verification as a routine and necessary process in the implementation of welfare schemes. The Ladki Bahin Yojana is targeted at women from low-income families, including married, widowed, divorced, abandoned and single, between the ages of 21 and 65. Eligible applicants must reside in Maharashtra, have an Aadhaar-linked bank account and belong to families with annual income below Rs 2.5 lakh. Women will be deemed ineligible if their family members are income taxpayers or are employed as regular or permanent staff in govt departments or public undertakings. Those receiving pensions, owning four-wheelers (excluding tractors) or already benefiting from other govt schemes of Rs 1,500 or more per month will also be excluded. Families of current or former MPs, MLAs or individuals holding top positions in govt boards or corporations are similarly disqualified. The officials said the integration of verified I-T data would make the screening process more accurate, reduce fraudulent claims and ensure that benefits reach the right individuals. At present, the department has 2.52 crore beneficiaries. "We have pushed the funds to accounts but it is likely that 2.47 crore would have received it," a source from the department said. Around Rs 3,719 crore was allocated for May under this scheme. CM Fadnavis says there is no diversion of funds from departments CM Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday told TOI that no funds from any govt department were diverted towards Ladki Bahin scheme. A section of ruling party politicians, as well as the opposition, had criticized state govt for alleged diversion of funds from key departments to sustain the Ladki Bahin scheme. On June 5, a social justice department GR stating diversion of Rs 410 crore had triggered further discussions. When asked, Fadnavis in a text message reply to TOI said, "All the schemes in which individual benefit goes to SC and ST are to be shown under tribal and social welfare department respectively. It is the budget principle and deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who is also the finance minister, while preparing the budget has showed the same. Hence, the budget given to both departments increased significantly. It's not that their regular funds are being diverted or utilised for this scheme. " Pune: State govt is set to conduct a comprehensive verification of beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, leveraging income tax return data from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to ensure that the monthly Rs 1,500 aid reaches only economically weaker women. A notification issued by the CBDT on June 3 authorises the secretary of the state women and child development (WCD) department to access income tax (I-T) data under Section 138 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The department has already formed a team to review the existing list of 2.5 crore applicants. Officials said the verification would help identify and remove ineligible claimants, particularly those from families with higher incomes or tax-paying members. Earlier, a scrutiny of around 2 lakh applications had revealed that 2,289 government employees had registered under the scheme. These names were promptly removed. State WCD minister Aditi Tatkare had described such verification as a routine and necessary process in the implementation of welfare schemes. The Ladki Bahin Yojana is targeted at women from low-income families, including married, widowed, divorced, abandoned and single, between the ages of 21 and 65. Eligible applicants must reside in Maharashtra, have an Aadhaar-linked bank account and belong to families with annual income below Rs 2.5 lakh. Women will be deemed ineligible if their family members are income taxpayers or are employed as regular or permanent staff in govt departments or public undertakings. Those receiving pensions, owning four-wheelers (excluding tractors) or already benefiting from other govt schemes of Rs 1,500 or more per month will also be excluded. Families of current or former MPs, MLAs or individuals holding top positions in govt boards or corporations are similarly disqualified. The officials said the integration of verified I-T data would make the screening process more accurate, reduce fraudulent claims and ensure that benefits reach the right individuals. At present, the department has 2.52 crore beneficiaries. "We have pushed the funds to accounts but it is likely that 2.47 crore would have received it," a source from the department said. Around Rs 3,719 crore was allocated for May under this scheme. CM Fadnavis says there is no diversion of funds from departments CM Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday told TOI that no funds from any govt department were diverted towards Ladki Bahin scheme. A section of ruling party politicians, as well as the opposition, had criticized state govt for alleged diversion of funds from key departments to sustain the Ladki Bahin scheme. On June 5, a social justice department GR stating diversion of Rs 410 crore had triggered further discussions. When asked, Fadnavis in a text message reply to TOI said, "All the schemes in which individual benefit goes to SC and ST are to be shown under tribal and social welfare department respectively. It is the budget principle and deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who is also the finance minister, while preparing the budget has showed the same. Hence, the budget given to both departments increased significantly. It's not that their regular funds are being diverted or utilised for this scheme. "
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
State to use I-T data to remove ineligible Ladki beneficiaries
Pune: State govt is set to conduct a comprehensive verification of beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, leveraging income tax return data from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to ensure that the monthly Rs 1,500 aid reaches only economically weaker women. A notification issued by the CBDT on June 3 authorises the secretary of the state women and child development (WCD) department to access income tax (I-T) data under Section 138 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. The department has already formed a team to review the existing list of 2.5 crore applicants. Officials said the verification would help identify and remove ineligible claimants, particularly those from families with higher incomes or tax-paying members. Earlier, a scrutiny of around 2 lakh applications had revealed that 2,289 government employees had registered under the scheme. These names were promptly removed. State WCD minister Aditi Tatkare had described such verification as a routine and necessary process in the implementation of welfare schemes. The Ladki Bahin Yojana is targeted at women from low-income families, including married, widowed, divorced, abandoned and single, between the ages of 21 and 65. Eligible applicants must reside in Maharashtra, have an Aadhaar-linked bank account and belong to families with annual income below Rs 2.5 lakh. Women will be deemed ineligible if their family members are income taxpayers or are employed as regular or permanent staff in govt departments or public undertakings. Those receiving pensions, owning four-wheelers (excluding tractors) or already benefiting from other govt schemes of Rs 1,500 or more per month will also be excluded. At present, the department has 2.52 crore beneficiaries. "We have pushed the funds to accounts but it is likely that 2.47 crore would have received it," a source from the department said. Around Rs 3,719 crore was allocated for May under this scheme. Meanwhile, CM Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday told TOI that no funds from any govt department were diverted towards Ladki Bahin scheme.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
State to review pre-kharif preparations on May 21: Ajit Pawar
Pune: Deputy chief minister on Friday said state govt has called a meeting on May 21 to review the pre-kharif season preparations ahead of the onset of monsoon. Pawar was in his hometown of Baramati, where he addressed a rally and said state govt would ensure the farming community faced no shortage of seeds or fertilisers during the . Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "The southwest monsoon is expected to arrive in the state in the first week of June. Soon after its onset, the farmers will start sowing for the kharif season. State govt will be holding a meeting on May 21 to review the preparation of the kharif season. Before that meeting, all guardian ministers have been told to hold similar meetings in their respective districts and understand the requirements of farmers," Pawar said. "It is state govt's responsibility to supply all the things required to the farming community," he said. Referring to the Mukhyamantri Mazhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, Pawar said, "The opposition was targeting me, CM Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde, saying that schemes like Ladki Bahin or free electricity for farmers were only for elections and they all will be discontinued. We have, however, ensured that the schemes keep running. We have made a provision of Rs 65,000 crore to ensure these schemes continue. Even the team of Niti Aayog, which visited Mumbai recently, gave a statement that state govt's financial management is correct. " 'I won my first elections because I was fielded by Pawar Saheb' Against the backdrop of recent speculations of a possible reunion of both factions of NCP, Pawar, during a rally in Baramati held for the campaign of Shri Chhatrapati Cooperative Sugar Mill elections on Friday, gave credit to his uncle and veteran politician Sharad Pawar for winning the first-ever election he contested. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He said, "Thanks to my grandfather, father and uncle [Sharad Pawar], my career is settled. The first time I contested the election and became an MP from Baramati, people voted for me not because of my work but only because I was fielded by Pawar Saheb. Only after winning that election did I get the opportunity to work and show my ability. That is the fact, and there is no question of denying it."
