Ladki Bahin Scheme: Maharashtra Govt Removes Over 26 Lakh Ineligible Beneficiaries

Launched in August 2024, the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana offers ₹1,500 per month to eligible women between the ages of 21 and 65. The funds are transferred directly to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts, with government employees excluded from eligibility. 

Identified Irregularities and Government Response

“The benefits for 26.34 lakh applicants have been temporarily suspended starting from June 2025. The instalments for the month have been disbursed to 2.25 crore eligible beneficiaries,” said Minister for Women and Child Development Aditi Tatkare, adding the suspended beneficiaries’ eligibility will be verified by the respective District Collectors, as per news reports.

The Department of Women and Child Development requested information from all government departments to verify the eligibility of the applicants.“The Information and Technology Department reported that approximately 26.34 lakh beneficiaries, despite being ineligible, became beneficiaries of the scheme,” said Aditi Tatkare.

Stern Action Over Misuse of Ladki Bahin Scheme

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday stated that strict action would be taken against men who wrongfully availed benefits under the Ladki Bahin scheme. Emphasising that the scheme is intended solely for economically disadvantaged women, he asserted that it is illogical for men to be listed as beneficiaries. 

He added that recovery of the misused funds will be initiated, and action will be taken against departments or individuals showing non-cooperation. His remarks followed reports revealing that around 14,000 men had been included as beneficiaries.

Read More: Ladki Bahin Scheme: Maharashtra Disqualifies 2,289 Ineligible Women Employees!

Conclusion 

The Ladki Bahin scheme, though impactful in its intent, has been marred by large-scale irregularities. The government's corrective steps highlight the need for stricter beneficiary verification and greater fiscal accountability to ensure that public funds reach only those truly in need.

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