Official data shows that 83 per cent of beneficiaries under Maharashtra’s ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’ are married women. The scheme, launched in 2024, offers Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women, but a government review is now removing ineligible recipients.
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The Maharashtra government’s ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’, a financial assistance scheme primarily aimed at supporting women, has seen the majority of its beneficiaries being married women, according to official data. As per PTI reports, as many as 83 per cent of the scheme’s recipients fall under this category.
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Launched in July 2024, the scheme was a significant factor in the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition’s victory in the state assembly elections held in November 2024. It provides a monthly financial aid of ₹1,500 to eligible women between the ages of 21 and 65 who are married, divorced, widowed, deserted, or destitute, with an annual family income below ₹2,50,000. Additionally, one unmarried woman per family is also eligible for the benefit.
As per PTI, there are currently around 2.5 crore beneficiaries under the scheme. However, the government is now conducting a review to eliminate ineligible recipients. The data indicates that unmarried women constitute 11.8 per cent of the beneficiaries, while widows account for 4.7 per cent. Meanwhile, divorced, destitute, or deserted women together make up less than 1 per cent, with divorced women at 0.3 per cent, deserted women at 0.2 per cent, and destitute women at just 0.1 per cent.
Age-wise, the highest proportion of beneficiaries (29 per cent) falls within the 30-39 age bracket, followed by 25.5 per cent in the 21-29 category, and 23.6 per cent between 40-49 years. Women aged 60-65 form only 5 per cent of the total beneficiaries. Pune district has recorded the highest number of applications for the scheme, followed by Nashik and Ahmednagar. In contrast, Sindhudurg and Gadchiroli have registered the lowest number of applications.
Before the state elections, the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, NCP, and Shiv Sena, had promised to increase the monthly benefit to ₹2,100. After securing power, the newly formed Devendra Fadnavis-led government confirmed its intention to fulfil this promise, with an announcement expected in the upcoming Budget.
Following the elections, the government also launched a scrutiny process to weed out ineligible beneficiaries. According to PTI reports, five lakh recipients have already been removed from the scheme, and officials anticipate that the final number of exclusions could reach 15 lakh. Women who own four-wheelers, those employed in government services, or those already receiving benefits exceeding ₹1,500 from other schemes are being disqualified from the programme.
At the time of its launch, the scheme was projected to cost the state exchequer ₹46,000 crore annually. However, it has also faced allegations of fraudulent practices and political exploitation.
As scrutiny continues and the government prepares its Budget announcement, the future trajectory of the scheme remains a focal point of political debate.
(With inputs from PTI)
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