MUMBAI: To ease the financial burden of the popular Ladli Bahin scheme, the Mahayuti government rather than releasing the fund from its parent department, has decided to seek the beneficiary amount from different state departments against the total number of respective beneficiaries from that particular caste and community.
According to a senior government official, the state women and child development department initiated and launched the Ladli Bahin Scheme ahead of state assembly elections. It was decided that the required fund for this scheme will be taken from this same department only.
“But as the cost of this ambitious scheme is growing and that is putting a heavy burden on the state exchequer and women and child department alone cannot bear the total expenditure of this scheme. Therefore, it was strategically decided to divide the scheme beneficiaries on the line of cast and community. And, seek the fund from these respective departments and release these same category and caste women beneficiaries,” the official explained, requesting anonymity.
As per these bifurcations, the women and child development department -- the parent department of Ladli Bahin Scheme -- has started seeking funds from various departments for that particular caste and community beneficiaries.
“The Government resolution has been issued by the tribal development department where it has mentioned to divert the total Rs 335 crore amounts from tribal development department to women and child development department to release the fund for tribal women who are beneficiaries under Ladli Bahin Scheme. Same way, the scheduled caste women will get the monthly payment of Rs 1500 from the SC category development fund and other communities will follow the same model,” he said.
Earlier, social justice minister Sanjay Shirsat expressed his displeasure for diverting the fund that is specially meant for SC and ST category people development. He said this violation of the constitution that has ensured the separate fund for ST and SC category.
“The injustice has been done to the SC and SC category people by our government. I complained that finance minister Ajit Pawar unilaterally took the decision without his consultations. However, I raised this issue with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and expect some justice,” Shirsat said.
DCM Ajit Pawar explained that to continue this ambitious scheme, they have to find out the ways and it has been done in cabinet that means all ministers who were part of the meetings were in agreement.