Maharashtra paid Rs 9,605 crore to ineligible beneficiaries under Ladki Bahin scheme: Report

The Maharashtra government has reportedly paid Rs 9,605 crore to nearly 92 lakh individuals who were later identified as ineligible beneficiaries under its flagship Ladki Bahin scheme, according to a report by the Hindustan Times based on data obtained via a Right to Information (RTI) application. The scheme, launched in June 2024, aimed to provide monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 to women aged 21 to 65 whose families earned less than Rs 2.5 lakh annually. However, despite efforts to verify eligibility, the state appears to have made payments to many who did not meet the criteria. Verification drives conducted by the government identified multiple categories of ineligible recipients, though payments had already been made to these individuals. By June 2026, 92 lakh beneficiaries were removed from the scheme. Of these, 62 lakh had failed to complete the electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) process, while 16 lakh exceeded the annual family income limit. Another 3.6 lakh women were already receiving benefits under the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Anudan Yojana, and 2.5 lakh were removed because another family member had been enrolled in the program. Additionally, 1.8 lakh were over the age limit of 65, and 4.5 lakh were government employees. A further 1.7 lakh beneficiaries were excluded following district-level verification. Despite these exclusions, over 2.1 crore women continued to receive payments for 17 months until November 2025. Between February 2025 and May 2025 alone, the number of beneficiaries reached 2.4 crore. This led to monthly payouts exceeding Rs 3,640 crore, significantly higher than the projected Rs 2,450 crore. Over two years, the state government spent Rs 76,261 crore on the scheme, making 46.1 crore payments instead of the 39.7 crore that should have been issued. The excess 6.4 crore credit entries accounted for the Rs 9,605 crore paid to ineligible beneficiaries. According to an unnamed official from the state's Women and Child Development Department, the government plans to recover the funds only from government employees and officers who received the payments. Other ineligible beneficiaries will not be targeted for recovery. Approximately 1.6 crore women remain eligible under the scheme, according to the report. In July 2025, a review of the scheme uncovered that more than 14,000 men allegedly received monthly payouts for 10 months. Opposition leaders have accused the government of reducing the number of beneficiaries due to financial constraints. In October 2025, Nationalist Congress Party leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal stated that all government departments were experiencing a funding shortage attributed to the Ladki Bahin scheme. In February 2026, state minister Ganesh Naik admitted that the scheme had strained government finances but reaffirmed that it would not be discontinued. The Ladki Bahin scheme has been credited with playing a crucial role in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance securing 230 seats in the 288-member Legislative Assembly during the November 2024 elections. However, the financial burden of the scheme has raised concerns about its sustainability. Critics argue that the scheme has diverted resources from other critical welfare programs, potentially leading to public dissatisfaction. The situation highlights the complex interplay between political strategy and fiscal responsibility, with the government facing mounting pressure to address both the administrative challenges and the financial implications of the scheme. As the debate continues, the focus remains on how the state will manage the fallout from this significant misallocation of funds.