The Maharashtra government’s flagship Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme, launched as a mass welfare initiative, now covers only about 1.57 crore women, with beneficiary numbers dropping sharply from the 2.43 crore reported during its rollout.
“Currently, 1.57 crores beneficiaries have received the December instalment after the e-KYC process was concluded,” said the official from the Women and Child Development (WCD) department.
Ladki Bahin scheme: cross-verification of beneficiaries underway, says Maharashtra Minister Aditi Tatkare
The decline followed a eligibility verification conducted by the WCD, which applied criteria such as annual family income below 2.5 lakh, elimination of duplicate entries, a cap of two women per household, exclusion of families with government employees, and others. Around 86 lakh beneficiaries were rejected in 17 months after the scheme was rolled out.
The scheme began in July 2024, with 2.43 crore beneficiaries receiving ₹1500 per month for five months till November 2024. According to WCD, 2.63 crore women applied for the scheme. Following the Assembly elections, the government announced a scrutiny of beneficiaries.
