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The Maharashtra government's 'Ladki Bahin' Yojana, a scheme designed to provide financial assistance to economically disadvantaged women, has been marred by significant irregularities, including the fraudulent disbursement of funds to over 14,000 men. This scheme, launched last year with the promise of Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women aged between 21 and 65 years from families earning less than Rs 2.5 lakh annually, was intended to be a key instrument for the Mahayuti coalition, led by the BJP and supported by factions of the Shiv Sena and NCP, in attracting voters ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections. The discovery of widespread misuse, revealed in an audit conducted by the Women and Child Development Department (WCD), has raised serious questions about the scheme's implementation, oversight, and potential political ramifications. The audit uncovered that Rs 21.44 crore was wrongly disbursed to 14,298 men who, through manipulation of the online registration system, managed to enroll themselves as female beneficiaries. This egregious misuse highlights a significant vulnerability in the scheme's registration process and suggests a potential lack of adequate verification mechanisms to prevent fraudulent applications. The fact that this discrepancy came to light nearly 10 months after the scheme's launch further underscores the need for more robust monitoring and evaluation procedures. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has acknowledged the issue, stating that there is no justification for men to benefit from a scheme designed for poor women and pledging to recover the misappropriated funds. However, the scale of the fraud raises concerns about the effectiveness of the recovery efforts and the potential for further misuse if systemic issues are not addressed. Beyond the fraudulent inclusion of men, the WCD report has revealed even more extensive irregularities, estimating a total loss of Rs 1,640 crore in the scheme's first year due to large-scale ineligible enrollments. The most significant source of misuse stemmed from the enrollment of over 7.97 lakh women as third members from the same family, violating the scheme's explicit restriction of benefits to a maximum of two women per household. This single violation accounted for a staggering Rs 1,196 crore in losses. Additionally, the report identified 2.87 lakh women over the age of 65 who were receiving benefits despite the scheme's age ceiling, resulting in a loss of approximately Rs 431.7 crore. The presence of 1.62 lakh women from households owning four-wheelers on the beneficiary rolls, in direct contravention of the scheme's eligibility criteria, further compounds the problem. These findings paint a picture of widespread systemic failures in the implementation and oversight of the 'Ladki Bahin' Yojana. The sheer magnitude of ineligible enrollments suggests a lack of thorough verification processes, inadequate monitoring of beneficiary data, and potentially a culture of lax enforcement of eligibility criteria. The political implications of these revelations are significant, particularly given the scheme's intended role in attracting voters. The opposition is likely to seize upon these findings to criticize the Mahayuti coalition and question its commitment to effective governance and responsible use of public funds. The demands for a wider investigation, as expressed by NCP MP Supriya Sule, are likely to intensify, with calls for scrutiny of the registration process, the company responsible for online registrations, and potential involvement of other actors in the scheme's mismanagement. The call for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reflects the seriousness with which these irregularities are being viewed and the potential for further uncovering of wrongdoing.
The initial response to these concerns has been varied. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a comprehensive review of the scheme in December 2024, indicating a recognition of the need for corrective action. Subsequently, WCD Minister Aditi Tatkare publicly committed to addressing the identified issues in January of this year. As a result of these efforts, approximately 5 lakh ineligible beneficiaries were reportedly removed from the system by February. This action, while a step in the right direction, represents only a fraction of the total estimated ineligible beneficiaries. A more recent statement from WCD Minister Aditi Tatkare, made in July 2025, provides further insight into the extent of the problem and the ongoing efforts to rectify it. According to Tatkare, the Department of Women and Child Development had sought information from all government departments to verify the eligibility of all applications. The Information and Technology Department subsequently reported that approximately 26.34 lakh beneficiaries were availing benefits despite being ineligible. This staggering figure underscores the deep-seated issues with the scheme's implementation and the need for a more comprehensive overhaul. Tatkare further clarified that the ineligibility stemmed from various factors, including beneficiaries availing benefits from multiple schemes, families with more than two beneficiaries, and instances of men applying for the scheme. In response to these findings, the benefits for these 26.34 lakh applicants have been temporarily suspended, starting from June 2025. However, Tatkare also emphasized that approximately 2.25 crore eligible beneficiaries of the scheme have been disbursed the honorarium for the month of June 2025, highlighting the ongoing commitment to supporting eligible women. The overall situation surrounding the 'Ladki Bahin' Yojana raises several critical questions. First, why were the verification processes so inadequate in the first place? The fact that so many ineligible individuals were able to enroll and receive benefits suggests a significant failure in the design and implementation of the scheme's registration process. Second, what measures are being taken to prevent similar irregularities from occurring in the future? Simply suspending benefits for ineligible beneficiaries is not enough. There needs to be a thorough review of the scheme's eligibility criteria, verification procedures, and monitoring mechanisms to ensure that only eligible women receive benefits. Third, what accountability will be held for those responsible for the mismanagement and misuse of funds? The sheer scale of the financial losses demands a thorough investigation to identify those responsible for the irregularities and hold them accountable for their actions. Finally, what impact will this scandal have on the public's trust in government schemes and the Mahayuti coalition? The widespread misuse of funds intended for economically disadvantaged women is likely to erode public confidence in the government's ability to effectively manage social welfare programs. Addressing these questions and taking decisive action to rectify the identified issues will be crucial to restoring public trust and ensuring the integrity of the 'Ladki Bahin' Yojana.
Source: Over 14,000 Men Received Money Under Maharashtra's 'Ladki Bahin' Scheme