Her remarks came after videos claiming that the criteria for the scheme had changed were circulated on social media. Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced that the government planned to identify ineligible beneficiaries of the scheme
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Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator from Shrivardhan, Aditi Tatkare, said that there is no change in the criteria for the Maharashtra government's 'Ladki Bahin' scheme. She also appealed to the beneficiaries to not believe in the social media videos which claim that the criteria for the scheme have been changed.
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"Misleading information is being circulated on social media through reels and videos about the Chief Minister's 'Ladki Bahin' scheme. The Women and Child Development Department of the state has informed that there has been no change in the criteria of the scheme since its implementation. As a woman representative, I am personally monitoring this. However, we request everyone not to fall prey to rumours being spread on social media," she wrote in a post in Marathi on social media platform X.
मुख्यमंत्री माझी लाडकी बहिण योजनेबद्दल रिल्स व व्हिडिओच्या माध्यमातून दिशाभूल करणारी माहिती समाज माध्यमांवर प्रसारित करण्यात येत आहे. मुख्यमंत्री माझी लाडकी बहीण योजना लागू झाल्यापासून आतापर्यंत योजनेच्या निकषांमध्ये कोणताही बदल झालेला नाही अशी माहिती राज्याच्या महिला व बालविकास… pic.twitter.com/mtOnnIAWNo
— Aditi S Tatkare (@iAditiTatkare) December 11, 2024
Tatkare, who has served as the Minister for Women and Child Development of Maharashtra in the previous Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government, oversaw the scheme's rollout.
The monthly cash-transfer scheme has been one of the biggest factors for the Mahayuti coalition's victory in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections held on November 20.
On Monday, she had also dismissed reports about the state's purported plan to re-scrutinise applications of beneficiary women under the flagship scheme.
Will identify ineligible beneficiaries: CM Fadnavis
Her remarks on the scrutiny of applications come days after newly-anointed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the Maharashtra Government's intention to identify ineligible beneficiaries, news agency PTI reported.
"There is no question of re-scrutinising the applications of beneficiaries under this scheme. Around 2.34 crore women are currently receiving benefits, and all applications were thoroughly reviewed before the benefits were disbursed. Any news suggesting otherwise is incorrect," Tatkare told a regional news channel on Monday.
Under the scheme, women receive Rs 1,500 per month. The Mahayuti leaders had promised to raise the amount to Rs 2,100 during the poll campaign, PTI reported.
During the interview with the news channel, Tatkare also acknowledged complaints regarding some women illegally receiving funds under the scheme.
"It will be the prerogative of the WCD (Women and Child Development) department to look into the complaints and decide. The department will handle any complaints that have been received, but I want to make it clear that no decision has been made to review or scrutinise the applications again," the NCP Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) had said.
According to PTI, in view of complaints about some beneficiaries of the scheme not complying with the parameters, CM Fadnavis had said that the scrutiny of applications is necessary.
"It will not be completely scrapped. The scrutiny will be on the lines of the PM (Pradhan Mantri) Kisan Yojana, where the ineligible beneficiaries had given up their benefit on their own," he had said.
Maharashtra has more than 2.43 crore beneficiaries of the 'Ladki Bahin Yojana', costing the state exchequer approximately Rs 3,700 crore per month.
(With PTI inputs)
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