Maharashtra Closes 6.8 Million Ladki Bahin Accounts After e-KYC Deadline Miss

The Government of Maharashtra has closed around 6.8 million accounts under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana because beneficiaries did not complete the mandatory e-KYC verification before the March 31 deadline.

After this step, the number of active beneficiaries dropped to about 17.5 million.

The government has now extended the deadline until April 30, so the number of active accounts may change if people complete verification.

Reason Behind The Verification Drive

The verification process started after complaints that some ineligible people were receiving money under the scheme.

Officials found cases where:

• Male family members were getting benefits
• Government employees had applied
• Some applicants filled forms incorrectly due to confusion in a Marathi question

After rechecking, about 2 million flagged accounts were found eligible, while the rest are still under review.

Who Can Get Benefits Under The Scheme

The scheme provides ₹1,500 every month directly to women’s bank accounts. To qualify, beneficiaries must:

• Be women aged 21–65 years
• Have annual family income below ₹2.5 lakh
• Not receive benefits from other state welfare schemes
• Have an Aadhaar-linked bank account

Impact On Government Spending

The scheme currently costs the state about ₹3,700 crore every month. In the 2026–27 budget, ₹26,000 crore has been allocated for the programme, lower than ₹36,000 crore in 2025–26.
With fewer beneficiaries, the monthly spending may reduce.

How Beneficiaries Can Complete e-KYC?

Beneficiaries can still complete verification online by:

1. Visiting the official portal
2. Selecting the e-KYC option
3. Submitting Aadhaar, income, ration card and personal details

This process must be done every year to continue receiving payments.

Conclusion

The closure of 6.8 million accounts is mainly due to incomplete e-KYC and removal of ineligible beneficiaries. With the deadline extended, many eligible women still have a chance to restore their benefits by completing verification before April 30.

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