Deputy CM Ajit Pawar says there are no plans to wind up the scheme, but some changes would be made
Women at the Anganwadi in Dadar, on the last date for submission of the Ladki Bahin Yojana forms in October last year. Pic/Ashish Raje
Changes to the state government's flagship welfare scheme—Ladki Bahin Yojana—are on the cards. Reiterating that the state has no plan to wind up the welfare scheme aimed to empower women, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said, “Whenever a scheme is introduced, it requires constant repair (read amendments). We will make the required amendments.” Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, made this statement during his reply to the budget discussion in the state legislative assembly on Monday.
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Many legislative members, during the discussion on the state budget, had raised questions over the scheme, especially about the timeline on when the government would increase the scheme amount as promised during the assembly poll campaign. There were questions on why the scrutiny of beneficiaries was started by the government and whether any action (like taking back the amount given to those found ‘ineligible’) would be taken.
Before the state election, the BJP, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP-Ajit Pawar camp (Mahayuti) launched the Ladki Bahin Yojana. As per the scheme, the state government provides a R1500 monthly allowance to women. During the poll campaign, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (Congress, Sharad Pawar led NCP and Shiv Sena-UBT faction), had assured that if voted to power, the amount would be raised to R3000 per month. To counter the MVA, the Mahayuti announced a hike in amount to Rs 2100 per month. The Opposition (MVA legislators) have been continuously asking the Mahayuti government to reveal a timeline on when it would start making good on its poll promise.
Ajit Pawar, in a veiled reference to the same, said, “Sister does not bother when brother is in trouble.” The minister further stated that the manifesto released during the polls is for five years and not for one year. The deputy chief minister even cited an example of the Ujjwala scheme, where many households voluntarily gave up their LPG subsidy following an appeal by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Further elaborating on the Ladki Bahin scheme, Ajit Pawar categorically stated that the government while introducing the scheme had aimed to empower women and would continue working towards its goal. “Many women beneficiaries have multiplied the amount by investing in small scale businesses. Such is the success of some women’s groups that MLC Parvin Darekar, who is on the board of Mumbai District Central Co-op bank, (popularly referred as Mumbai Bank), revealed that the bank planned to come up with a scheme where women beneficiaries would get Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 loan against the 1500 scheme amount they deposited in the bank,” Pawar said. Darekar is a close ally of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Last week, Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare had mentioned in the state legislative assembly that in October last year, the number of women receiving the scheme assistance was 2.33 crore, which increased to 2.47 crore in January.
Allocation reduced
On March 10, when the government presented its budget for 2025-26, the Mahayuti government reduced the allocation for its most popular scheme – Ladki Bahin Yojana. Before the Assembly elections, the state government maintained that the welfare scheme would cost the exchequer R46,000 crore, but on Monday, an allocation of R36,000 crore was made for it.
Rs 2100
Amount promised by Mahayuti during Assembly polls
Criteria for Ladki Bahin applicants
Women aged 21 to 65 from families with an annual income below R2.5 lakh are eligible for the scheme. However, those who have a family member who is an income tax payer, a permanent government employee or a pensioner, or those receiving benefits from other government financial schemes, are ineligible. Additionally, women from families that own a four-wheeler—except a tractor—do not qualify for the scheme.
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