MUMBAI: Even as the state is in the process of scrutinising beneficiaries of its flagship Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, the total number of beneficiaries has declined by 5 lakh over the period of just one month, officials have said.
In Dec 2024, there were 2.46 crore beneficiaries who received a stipend of Rs 1,500 each. However, in Jan 2025, the number has reduced to 2.41 crore, officials said.
One of the reasons is that almost 1.5 lakh beneficiaries over the age of 65 years have been removed from the beneficiary list since they are beyond the age limit of the scheme, sources said.
Also, around 2 lakh beneficiaries under the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana, which also provides a monthly stipend of Rs 1,500 per month, have been removed from the scheme, sources said. The Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana is meant for widows, the disabled, patients, destitute and divorced individuals.
Beneficiaries of the Ladki Bahin Yojana can avail of cash benefits under another govt scheme only if the combined benefit is sealed at Rs 1,500.
Indeed, as the scrutiny proceeds, around 5-6 lakh beneficiaries of the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana who also receive benefits under the Ladki Bahin scheme are likely to find their stipend reduced, according to some estimates.
The stipend under the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana is Rs 1,000 per month, which would entitle those availing of both schemes to receive only Rs 500 under the Ladki Bahin Yojana.
Women and child welfare minister Aditi Tatkare and department secretary Anup Kumar Yadav were unavailable for comment.
However, Tatkare had earlier claimed that there would be no large-scale scrutiny of the scheme but it will mainly be based on complaints received. She had also said that initially, the state will only trim beneficiaries who voluntarily come forward and declare themselves ineligible. The state has received around 5,000 such declarations, mainly from those whose domicile or income level has changed.
The state govt is in the process of scrutinising Ladki Bahin beneficiaries on the basis of five key criteria, including whether they fit the limit of Rs 2.5 lakh family income per year, if they remain domiciled in the state and if there is a mismatch in the name on their Aadhaar and bank account. Those with four-wheel vehicles and govt jobs will also be debarred from the scheme.
The govt has been under pressure to cut down expenses after its pre-poll welfare schemes including the Ladki Bahin Yojana led to its debt burden going up to Rs 7.8 lakh crore. In addition, the state sought supplementary demands worth 1.3 lakh crore for unplanned expenses.
The Ladki Bahin scheme provides a stipend of Rs 1,500 per month to married, divorced, widowed, deserted and destitute women whose annual family income is below Rs 2.5 lakh and who are domiciled in the state. One eligible unmarried woman from each family is also be considered for the scheme. It is meant for women between the ages of 21 and 65 years.