Maharashtra News: Around 67 Lakh Women To Be Declared Ineligible Under Ladki Bahin Yojana For Failing e-KYC Deadline

Mumbai, Jan 01: Around 67 lakh women beneficiaries of the state government’s flagship ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’ are set to be declared ineligible after failing to complete the mandatory e-KYC process by the December 31 deadline.

According to officials from the Women and Child Development Department, out of 2.47 crore eligible women in Maharashtra, nearly 1.80 crore completed the e-KYC process within the stipulated time.

e-KYC made mandatory to weed out ineligible beneficiaries

The e-KYC requirement was made mandatory to identify ineligible beneficiaries and assess the actual financial status of applicants. Officials said that women who did not complete the verification process by December 31 will no longer be eligible to receive benefits under the scheme.

December instalment credited to eligible beneficiaries

Despite this, the December instalment of Rs 1,500 has been credited to the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries. Officials also confirmed that while the November and December instalments were pending, the November instalment was deposited in beneficiaries’ accounts by the end of December.

Scheme announced ahead of Assembly elections

The ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’ was announced in June 2024 by then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ahead of the Assembly elections. Following the announcement, an overwhelming response was received, with nearly 2.62 crore women applying for benefits under the scheme.

Scrutiny reveals large number of ineligible applicants

However, as the number of applicants increased, the scheme began placing a significant financial burden on the state exchequer. During scrutiny, it was found that nearly 10 lakh women were ineligible as they owned four-wheelers or were government employees availing benefits contrary to eligibility norms. Additionally, more than five lakh applications faced technical issues due to Aadhaar cards not being properly linked with bank accounts.

Eligible beneficiaries reduced after verification

After eliminating ineligible applicants and resolving technical issues, the number of eligible women stood at 2.47 crore. However, to further streamline the scheme and verify beneficiaries’ annual income, the government made e-KYC mandatory by December 31, 2025.

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Exclusion aimed at ensuring financial sustainability

As of the deadline, only 1.80 crore women completed the verification process, resulting in the exclusion of around 67 lakh beneficiaries from the scheme. Officials said the move was necessary to ensure that the benefits reach only deserving women and to manage the financial sustainability of the welfare initiative.

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