Maharashtra’s Ladki Bahin Scheme Faces Scrutiny for Rs 9,605 Crore Payouts to Ineligible Beneficiaries

The Maharashtra government’s Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana has come under investigation following revelations that approximately Rs 9,605 crore were disbursed to nearly 92 lakh beneficiaries who were found to be ineligible. This alarming figure emerged from data acquired through a Right to Information (RTI) application, as reported by the Hindustan Times.

Launched in June 2024, the Ladki Bahin scheme aims to empower women aged between 21 and 65 by providing a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 to families earning less than Rs 2.5 lakh annually. However, the implementation of the scheme has raised significant concerns regarding its beneficiary eligibility and verification processes.

Despite the introduction of verification initiatives intended to identify and exclude ineligible recipients, a substantial number of payments had already been issued to these individuals. By June 2026, it was revealed that 62 lakh beneficiaries had failed to complete the mandatory e-KYC (Know Your Customer) process. Additionally, around 16 lakh were found to exceed the stipulated income limit of Rs 2.5 lakh per year, while 3.6 lakh individuals were already receiving assistance from another government scheme, the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Anudan Yojana.

Other categories of disqualified beneficiaries included 2.5 lakh who had a family member already enrolled in the scheme, 1.8 lakh who were older than 65 years, and 4.5 lakh government employees. Furthermore, additional exclusions were made after district-level verifications, accounting for another 1.7 lakh beneficiaries.

Despite the issues surrounding eligibility, the scheme has seen a significant uptake. Over 2.1 crore women received benefits for a span of 17 months until November 2025, with the peak number of beneficiaries reaching 2.4 crore between February and May 2025. As a result, the monthly payouts surged to over Rs 3,640 crore, a notable increase from the initial Rs 2,450 crore.

This situation has sparked debates around the efficiency and integrity of welfare schemes in India, highlighting the need for robust verification mechanisms to ensure that government funds are utilized effectively. The Maharashtra government will need to address these discrepancies to restore public confidence in the welfare initiatives aimed at supporting vulnerable populations.

Source: scroll.in