Maharashtra Flags 26.34 Lakh Ineligible Beneficiaries Under Ladki Bahin Scheme; 14,000 Men Among Fraudsters

The Maharashtra government has officially released figures on both eligible and ineligible beneficiaries under the Ladki Bahin scheme for the month of June. While nearly 2.25 crore eligible women received their honorarium of ₹1,500 under the scheme, payments to 26.34 lakh beneficiaries were temporarily suspended due to discrepancies.

Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare posted on the social media platform ‘X’ that the WCD Department found several irregularities during verification. These included instances where a single household had more than two beneficiaries, beneficiaries availing benefits from multiple government schemes simultaneously, and, shockingly, even men applying for and receiving funds meant exclusively for women.

The Information Technology Department flagged these issues and reported that 26.34 lakh beneficiaries appeared to be ineligible. Consequently, starting June 2025, their benefits have been halted pending further verification by the respective district collectors. Those found eligible after detailed scrutiny will have their benefits resumed.

One of the most alarming revelations in the department’s audit was the identification of 14,298 men fraudulently enrolled in the scheme by misrepresenting their identity. These men had collectively siphoned off ₹21.44 crore over a period of ten months. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar stressed that strict action would be taken and recovery would be made from these ineligible male beneficiaries.

The Ladki Bahin scheme, which provides monthly financial support to women aged 21 to 65 from low-income households, played a key role in the Mahayuti alliance's political campaign and electoral success. However, it has also come under fire due to its mounting financial burden on the state.

Currently, the state is disbursing ₹3,700 crore to support 2.41 crore women under the scheme. The department’s review found that over the past year, ₹1,640 crore was potentially misused due to around 5 lakh ineligible women receiving benefits. These included women from families owning four-wheelers and others who exceeded the eligible age limit. Additionally, around 7.97 lakh cases were found where women were listed as third beneficiaries from the same family, leading to an added expenditure of ₹1,196 crore.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar reiterated that the government is committed to preventing fraud in welfare schemes. He added that discussions would be held with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde to decide on further legal or administrative action against those who wrongfully availed benefits.