MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has decided to scrutinise the list of 2.63 crore beneficiaries of the Mukyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana and drop those getting benefits under other welfare schemes.
Under the Ladki Bahin scheme, launched by the previous Eknath Shinde-led government in August last year, eligible women are provided a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500. During the assembly elections, the MahaYuti alliance promised that when they come back to power, they will increase the assistance to Rs 2100 a month.
The scheme is considered to have played a key role in the victory of the MahaYuti in the November 20 assembly elections.
According to the state women and child development and Welfare Department, more than 20 lakh beneficiaries of Ladki Bahin are likely to be dropped because they are already availing of benefits under other schemes.
“These beneficiaries are also listed under Namo Shetkari and direct benefits schemes. We decided to drop these beneficiaries and give the benefits to those who really deserve it,” said Aditi Tatkare, women and child development and welfare minister.
"If under any scheme, the amount is less than what a woman is getting under Ladki Bahin, then a matching amount will be given. If it is more than the amount under Ladki Bahin, the beneficiaries’ names will be dropped. We have to do this exercise to tighten the rules so that genuine beneficiaries can avail of the benefits,” Tatkare said.
The MahaYuti government has also decided to drop those whose combined annual family income is more than Rs 2.50 lakh. A senior government official clarified that they are not dropping genuine beneficiaries.
“But we want to ensure that the honest tax payers’ money is not given to those who do not need it. In the scrutiny, we observed that many applicants are misusing the scheme by exploiting its loopholes. We were trying to plug the loopholes. The scheme was launched with a purpose to extend the benefits to women who genuinely need it,” the official said.
The Opposition slammed the MahaYuti government for launching Ladki Bahin scheme ahead of the polls and then scrutinising the beneficiaries after coming back to power.
“The scheme was launched hurriedly to get electoral benefits. Then CM Eknath Shinde had said that the Ladki Bahin scheme is for all women and they won’t be any scrutiny while extending the benefit to needy and poor women,” Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said.