92 Lakh Names Dropped From Maharashtra's Ladki Bahin Yojana After Verification; e-KYC Failures, Ineligible Beneficiaries Under Scanner

· Free Press Journal

Mumbai: More than 92 lakh beneficiaries have been removed from Maharashtra's flagship Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana following a massive verification drive, with the state government citing incomplete e-KYC, income limit violations, age criteria, and other eligibility issues.

The latest figures mark a sharp jump from the nearly 80 lakh removals announced a month ago. With the beneficiary count dropping from around 2.4 crore, nearly 38 per cent of those initially enrolled have now been struck off the list.

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Why Were 92 Lakh Names Removed?

According to a report in NDTV, officials said the reduction was not limited to women who failed to complete the mandatory e-KYC process. Several beneficiaries were found to be ineligible under the scheme's eligibility norms.

According to government data:

  • Around 50-55 lakh women failed to complete e-KYC within the stipulated deadline.

  • Nearly 12 lakh women were found to have annual family incomes exceeding the scheme's prescribed limit.

  • More than 4.5 lakh women were above the maximum eligible age of 65 years.

  • Around 12 lakh beneficiaries were identified as income taxpayers.

  • Nearly 5 lakh women were already receiving benefits under the Namo Shetkari Yojana, making them ineligible under the scheme's rules.

  • Authorities also identified around 14,000 men who had been enrolled as beneficiaries despite the scheme being exclusively for women.

The NDTV report mentioned that officials said the final beneficiary list will be prepared only after a fresh round of verification, while complaints from women claiming they were wrongly removed are also being examined.

Government Says Scheme Will Continue

Responding to the controversy, Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat said the scheme is intended only for women from economically weaker sections who do not have an independent source of income.

He said beneficiaries found to own four-wheelers, pay income tax, or otherwise fail to meet eligibility conditions are being removed.

"The Ladki Bahin Yojana is meant for women from economically weaker sections who do not earn and stay at home. However, people who own four-wheelers and even income tax payers have also become beneficiaries. Their names are now being removed. We will not allow the Ladki Bahin Yojana to be discontinued. The scheme will continue," Shirsat said.

Opposition Questions Huge Expenditure

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi alleged that the verification exercise has exposed large-scale irregularities in the implementation of the scheme.

She questioned how thousands of men, government employees and other ineligible beneficiaries were able to receive financial assistance under a welfare programme meant for economically weaker women.

"Nearly 38 per cent of the beneficiaries have now been removed. Around ₹14,000 crore of taxpayers' money has been spent. The benefits should have reached the rightful beneficiaries, but the scale of misuse is alarming," she said.

CAG Flags Financial Burden

The controversy comes days after the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) raised concerns over the financial impact of the scheme.

In its report, the CAG said expenditure under the scheme could place a significant burden on Maharashtra's finances and questioned the justification for ₹3,541 crore spent under the programme.

The report noted that expenditure on women's welfare in the state increased dramatically from ₹261.78 crore in 2023-24 to ₹33,554.36 crore in 2024-25 after the scheme, which was approved on June 28, 2024, was rolled out.

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