Maharashtra’s Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana Faces Eligibility Controversy

The beneficiary count of Maharashtra's Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana has reduced from 2.46 crore to 2.41 crore as five lakh women were deemed ineligible. Despite this, Rs 450 crore transferred to eligible women will not be reclaimed. The scheme supports women aged 21-65 with Rs 1500 monthly aid, excluding certain groups.

The Maharashtra government's prominent Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana has seen a reduction in its beneficiaries, dropping from 2.46 crore in December 2024 to 2.41 crore last month. This decrease followed the disqualification of five lakh women for not meeting eligibility criteria, according to a statement by a Women and Child Development official on Sunday.

Despite this, a cumulative sum of Rs 450 crore remains untouched in the accounts of the previously recognized beneficiaries, as clarified by WCD minister Aditi Tatkare. The state government, she reiterated, has no plans to reclaim this amount.

Eligible women in the age bracket of 21-65, with annual family incomes below Rs 2.5 lakh, receive a monthly aid of Rs 1500 under the scheme. Additional criteria exclude those owning a four-wheeler or having any family member in government service. Of the ineligible five lakh, 1.5 lakh were overage, and 1.6 lakh had either a vehicle or other government aids, with 2.3 lakh receiving overlaps from schemes like the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Scheme.