Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Aug 25: The Maharashtra government has flagged 26 lakh suspected ineligible beneficiaries under its flagship Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme, Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare announced on Monday.

The preliminary data, provided by the state's Information and Technology Department, suggests that these individuals — drawn from all districts across the state — do not meet the eligibility criteria for the monthly Rs 1,500 cash benefit meant for women aged 21 to 65 from economically weaker backgrounds.

Minister Tatkare confirmed that physical verification is now underway at the district level to determine actual eligibility. The findings will determine further action, which will be taken in line with directives from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.

She clarified that benefits for verified, eligible women will continue without disruption, and promised that genuine cases mistakenly flagged as ineligible — such as those using a male family member’s bank account — will be corrected to ensure funds reach the rightful recipients.

The scheme, launched in July 2024, aims to assist women from households with an annual income below Rs 2.5 lakh who are not availing benefits from any other government scheme. With an estimated 2.25 crore eligible women, the discovery of potentially 26 lakh fraudulent entries raises serious concerns about misuse and systemic lapses.

Earlier reports indicated that some ineligible recipients were enrolled under multiple schemes, with cases even involving male applicants posing as beneficiaries — prompting the latest round of scrutiny.

Final determinations on eligibility will be made post-verification, and ineligible recipients may face action, as per government guidelines.