Maharashtra Govt Initiates Ladki Bahin Yojana with Rs 3,000 Trial Transfer

With the Maharashtra government's new Ladki Bahin Yojana set to launch soon, the Women and Child Development Department announced on Wednesday that it has successfully transferred Rs 3,000 into select beneficiaries' bank accounts as a trial. This amount covers the first two months of the scheme.

Under the Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, underprivileged women aged 21 to 65 years will receive Rs 1,500 monthly from the state government. The scheme, introduced in the state's June-end budget, will cost Rs 46,000 crore annually and is being launched ahead of the assembly polls in October.

Eligibility and Financial Details

Approximately 1.35 crore women have become eligible for the Rs 1,500 monthly stipend. The annual family income of beneficiaries is capped at Rs 2.5 lakh. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated, "We have lived up to our words. We had promised that we would transfer Rs 3,000 two months instalment to women beneficiaries whose bank account details have been scrutinised."

The official launch date is set for August 17, when most eligible women will receive their first two instalments totalling Rs 3,000. However, it remains unclear how many beneficiaries were included in the trial run.

Political Reactions and Criticism

Opposition parties have criticised the scheme as a poll gimmick and financially unviable. Shinde advised women to be cautious of critics, saying, "It is my appeal to women that they should stay away from such stepbrothers who are critical of this scheme." He noted that opposition leaders even went to the Bombay High Court against the scheme but faced a setback when their demand was turned down.

BJP MLA Ranajagjitsinha Patil from Dharashiv district shared screenshots on his X account showing SMS notifications of money transfers to beneficiaries' bank accounts under the scheme. He stated, "Money has started coming in under the Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana."

Implementation and Future Plans

Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare mentioned that most eligible women are set to receive Rs 3,000 in their bank accounts on August 17. She held a review meeting with officials to discuss ongoing registration and scrutiny of forms submitted online and offline by women.

The government had initially set August 31 as the registration deadline for the scheme but has now extended it. Consequently, women who meet the eligibility criteria after August 31 will also start receiving Rs 1,500 per month in their bank accounts.

The government has organised an event for the official launch of the scheme on August 17, just two days before Rakshabandhan festival.