'14K men availing Ladki Bahin benefits'

More than 14,000 men have fraudulently claimed benefits under Maharashtra’s women-only Ladki Bahin Yojana, a state government report has shown, highlighting massive systemic failures in a scheme credited with helping the Mahayuti coalition secure electoral victory last year.

- HT Correspondent

The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Scheme, which provides ₹1,500 monthly to eligible women aged 21-65 from low-income families, has lost ₹1,640 crore to ineligible beneficiaries over the past 12 months, according to the latest scrutiny report by the state women and child development department.

Of this staggering amount, ₹21.44 crore went to 14,298 men who misrepresented their identities to enrol in the scheme designed exclusively for women's health, nutrition and general well-being. These fraudulent male beneficiaries received payments for 10 months before being detected and had their accounts frozen.

The scheme, announced on June 28, 2024, ahead of the November assembly elections, proved politically transformative for the Mahayuti government. Before the polls, the state had already disbursed ₹7,500 to 23.4 million women, helping the coalition sweep to power.