Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Oct 21: The Maharashtra government has uncovered a major irregularity in its flagship Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, finding that at least 12,431 men and 77,980 women were wrongly disbursed monthly benefits under the scheme, according to data accessed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The scheme, launched in June 2024 for women aged 21-65 from families earning less than Rs 2.5 lakh annually, provides Rs 1,500 per month. Following verification, the ineligible beneficiaries have been removed from the list, but recovery of the funds—amounting to roughly Rs 24.24 crore for men and Rs 140.28 crore for women, totaling over Rs 164 crore—has not yet been initiated.

Currently, around 2.41 crore women are enrolled under the scheme, which costs the government nearly Rs 3,700 crore per month. RTI responses revealed that at least 2,400 government employees, including men, had wrongly availed benefits, prompting the initiation of disciplinary proceedings.
The irregularities were mainly due to submission of incorrect data, misrepresentation of income and assets, and multiple scheme claims within households. Verification showed some households had more than two members receiving benefits, while several government staffers with incomes exceeding the eligibility limit were also included.
The WCD Department said the disbursement to 26.34 lakh suspect accounts was suspended in June-July 2025 pending verification. Minister Aditi Tatkare had earlier stated that preliminary data indicated about 26 lakh beneficiaries might not meet eligibility criteria, and district authorities were tasked with physical verification.
Officials added that the irregularities represent only the “tip of the iceberg”, and figures may rise as verification continues. To prevent further misuse, a statewide e-KYC verification drive for all existing and new beneficiaries has been launched and is expected to be completed soon.
While the male beneficiaries’ payments were stopped from July 2025, no decision has been taken yet regarding fund recovery. The government’s ongoing review aims to ensure that only eligible beneficiaries continue to receive support under the scheme, under the guidance of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.