Why Mahayuti's Ladki Bahin dole is under CAG, Opposition fire

Maharashtra's flagship welfare scheme, the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, has come under intense scrutiny following revelations by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) regarding excessive spending and procedural lapses. The audit report, presented during the state legislature's monsoon session, highlights an excess expenditure of over Rs 3,500 crore, raising questions about the management and oversight of the program. The opposition has seized upon these findings, accusing the ruling Mahayuti alliance of misuse of public funds to secure political gains. The scheme, aimed at providing monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 to eligible women aged 21 to 65, was introduced by the Eknath Shinde-led government after the Mahayuti's setbacks in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The initiative was instrumental in mobilizing female voters, contributing significantly to the alliance's sweeping victory in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls, where they secured 237 out of 288 seats. The government had previously pledged to raise the stipend to Rs 2,100 per month if re-elected. According to the CAG's State Finances Audit Report for 2024-25, a total grant of Rs 29,693.09 crore was allocated for the scheme, comprising Rs 26,200 crore from the supplementary budget and Rs 3,490.75 crore reallocated from the Lek Ladki Yojana. However, the department incurred an expenditure of Rs 33,237.24 crore, leading to an excess expenditure of Rs 3,541.16 crore. The report noted that the department provided no justification for this discrepancy. A detailed examination of vouchers totaling Rs 29,732.01 crore revealed that Rs 15,586 crore was transferred to the drawing and disbursing officer's virtual personal deposit account (VPDA) during January-March 2025. This action indicated that funds were withdrawn without immediate need, violating principles of fiscal discipline and financial propriety. The CAG highlighted weak budget estimation and inadequate financial controls as underlying issues. Adding to the controversy, over 9 million beneficiaries have been removed from the scheme after verification processes. Of these, 6.2 million individuals failed to complete the eKYC procedures, while others were found ineligible due to violations of income limits, being government employees, exceeding the age criteria, receiving benefits under other schemes, or, in some cases, being men. Beneficiaries who were removed have received approximately Rs 14,000 crore in payments, with the state government announcing plans to recover this amount from government employees and male beneficiaries. Currently, around 15 million women remain enrolled in the scheme, marking a substantial decline from the peak of 24.3 million beneficiaries. The opposition has reacted strongly to these developments. Sanjay Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), accused the government of using public funds to "purchase votes illegally," calling it "the biggest malfeasance of the century." He urged authorities to take legal action against the cabinet for alleged misappropriation of funds. Anish Gawande of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) criticized the removals, stating that one in four beneficiaries are now deemed invalid. He questioned whether this reflected large-scale corruption or spectacular incompetence, demanding intervention from the CAG. These criticisms underscore the growing concerns surrounding the management and integrity of the Ladki Bahin Yojana, as the state grapples with the implications of these revelations.