Over 14,000 men were found to have fraudulently availed benefits under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, a cash assistance programme exclusively meant for women In Maharashtra. The state government has now launched a recovery drive and warned of legal action against defaulters.
The irregularities came to light during a verification exercise conducted by the Department of Information and Technology, which flagged the fraudulent registrations among a slew of other anomalies across the scheme.
The benefits collected by 14,298 men over nearly 10 months amount to a staggering Rs 21.44 crore. The men had registered as women using forged documents to claim the Rs 1,500 monthly assistance.
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Broader Verification Drive
A recent e-KYC and verification exercise by the Women and Child Development Department revealed massive irregularities:
Around 80 lakh beneficiaries were found ineligible and removed.
Active beneficiaries reduced from 2.4 crore to 1.7 crore.
Other ineligible categories included government employees, income-tax payers, and women from higher-income households owning four-wheelers.
What the Government Is Saying
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while assuring that the scheme itself remains intact, drew a firm line on the fraud.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting, Fadnavis said the state government had undertaken a verification exercise of beneficiaries after the scheme was launched and several irregularities came to light.
"When the scheme was introduced, women were allowed to self-certify their eligibility, as many did not have sufficient time to submit documents. Subsequently, verification was carried out as the government expenditure is subject to audit," he explained.
The Ladki Bahin Yojana was widely credited as a key reason the Mahayuti alliance swept the November 2024 elections. That political success now comes with an uncomfortable asterisk.
What Happens Next
Recoveries are expected to begin soon, and the government has signalled that criminal cases may be filed against those who refuse to return the money.
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