A large-scale misuse of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana has come to light in Maharashtra, exposing a fraud amounting to ₹3.58 crore. The irregularities were discovered during an extensive verification exercise carried out by the state government. The scheme, launched in 2024 by the Mahayuti government, was designed to provide financial support to economically disadvantaged women. However, a significant number of government employees managed to unlawfully avail the benefits intended for underprivileged recipients.
The scheme offers monthly assistance of ₹1,500 to eligible women. Despite clear eligibility guidelines that exclude public servants, 2,652 women working in Class III and Class IV government positions successfully received the funds. Each of these individuals collected ₹13,500 over a span of nine months from August 2024 to April 2025. This resulted in a cumulative wrongful disbursal of ₹3.58 crore from public funds.
To detect fraud, the General Administration Department (GAD) provided a database of nearly 1.6 lakh government employees to the Information Technology Department. Authorities then used unique identification number based verification to cross-check the records. This process revealed that thousands of women in government service had bypassed the established eligibility rules to unlawfully draw benefits from the Ladki Bahin Yojana.
As of now, around 1.2 lakh employee profiles have been scrutinised. The review continues with nearly 6 lakh profiles still pending verification. The fraud emerged as part of a broader effort to cleanse welfare databases of duplication and ineligible claims. In a related measure taken in February 2025, payments to 7.7 lakh beneficiaries were suspended when it was found they were receiving financial assistance from both the Ladki Bahin and Namo Shetkari schemes simultaneously.
The Maharashtra government is preparing to initiate recovery proceedings against the ineligible recipients. Instructions for fund recovery and departmental action are expected to be issued shortly. Officials highlighted the seriousness of the violation, stressing that these individuals not only misused a welfare scheme but also failed in their duties as public servants. Disciplinary action, potentially involving anti-corruption and vigilance departments, is anticipated.
This incident has sparked increased demand for improved digital safeguards in public welfare distribution. The breach has emphasised the need for stricter eligibility checks and robust monitoring mechanisms to ensure the integrity of such schemes. As the investigation progresses, the government has urged all ineligible recipients to return the funds voluntarily to avoid further legal consequences.
Read More: ₹2 Crore Lost: AI Trump Video Scam Targets Over 200 in Karnataka!
The ₹3.58 crore fraud in the Ladki Bahin Yojana has raised serious concerns about the enforcement of eligibility norms in public welfare schemes. The involvement of 2,652 government employees, who were expressly barred from receiving the benefits, not only undermines the purpose of the initiative but also reflects poorly on administrative oversight. As the state proceeds with recovery and disciplinary actions, the episode highlights the urgent need for vigilant verification processes and stronger accountability within the system to prevent such breaches in future.
Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. This does not constitute a personal recommendation/investment advice. It does not aim to influence any individual or entity to make investment decisions. Recipients should conduct their own research and assessments to form an independent opinion about investment decisions.
Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks. Read all the related documents carefully before investing.
Published on: Jun 2, 2025, 3:36 PM IST
Team Angel One
We're Live on WhatsApp! Join our channel for market insights & updates
Get the link to download the App
