Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday sought to allay concerns regarding the Ladki Bahin Yojana for women and asserted that the scheme won't be discontinued.
He asserted that the poll assurances, including a loan waiver for farmers, will be honoured in stages.
Shinde's remarks on the Ladki Bahin scheme came on a day when Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare stated that the government has prima facie identified 26 lakh ineligible beneficiaries.
"The Ladki Bahin Yojana will not stop. This is the word of your brother," Shinde said while addressing a Lahuji Sena conclave of the Matang community.
He said the opposition has been raising the issue of a loan waiver. "Whatever we have assured, we will complete it in stages. This is the government that keeps its word," Shinde added.
The flagship Mukhyamantri Mazi Ladki Bahin Yojana was launched when Shinde was the chief minister. The scheme is believed to have reaped dividends in votes for the Mahayuti alliance in the 2024 assembly elections.
The scheme, however, strained the state's finances.
Alluding to the 2022 collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, Shinde said he had conducted 'operation 'Takhtapalat' to install a government desired by the people.
It was a difficult task to execute, but one needs the heart of a tiger to execute it, he added.
Earlier in the day, Tatkare said that the data of ineligible beneficiaries has been submitted to district authorities for physical verification, and appropriate action will be initiated on completion of the scrutiny.
There are approximately 2.25 crore eligible beneficiaries. PTI PR NSK
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