New Delhi: The Maharashtra government, led by Devendra Fadnavis, is taking steps to recover funds from women who improperly benefited from the Ladki Bahin Yojana, a key campaign promise. The scheme provides Rs 1,500 per month to women aged 21-65 with annual family incomes below Rs 2.5 lakh.
This fresh announcement to recover the money has sparked criticism from the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which threatens protests to protect the women who voted the government into power.
Women and Child Welfare Minister Aditi Tatkare announced the cross-verification process on Saturday, stating that ineligible beneficiaries would be required to return the funds. “We are undertaking the cross-verification process. Those who are ineligible and still availed of the benefits of the scheme will be asked to return the money,” Tatkare said.
Tatkare highlighted the five key areas including annual income exceeding Rs 2.5 lakh, ownership of four-wheelers, residency outside Maharashtra, duplicate applications and concurrent benefits from other government schemes will be scrutinised under the new order.
“One of them is the criteria of annual income of up to Rs 2.50 lakh. Those with a yearly income above Rs 2.50 lakh are being scrutinised. Besides, we have also received complaints that women who have four-wheelers have also availed of the benefits. Then there are married women who are living outside Maharashtra but still took the benefit… We have also found duplicate applications… Besides, it has been found that some have taken the benefit of two different government schemes.”
While some ineligible women have voluntarily returned funds, with an estimated 4,000 already doing so, the government is collaborating with the transport and income tax departments for a comprehensive and ongoing cross-verification effort. The number of ineligible recipients could be much higher. In December, around 100-150 forms were received from ineligible women, but that number has increased significantly this month.
Minister Tatkare expressed gratitude towards those who voluntarily returned the money, acknowledging their honesty. The cross-verification process, she emphasised, is continuous and will be carried out consistently to ensure the integrity of the Ladki Bahin Yojana.
“This is an approximate number. There could be more women who are ineligible. In December, we received some 100-150 forms from women who were ineligible and this month, we are receiving such forms on a large-scale,” she said.
