Bizarre! Maharashtra Govt Gives 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' Money To 14,000 Men

A welfare scheme meant to uplift economically disadvantaged women in Maharashtra has been rocked by massive irregularities, with over 14,000 men fraudulently registering as beneficiaries. The Ladki Bahin Yojana, launched in 2024 by the Mahayuti coalition government led by the BJP ahead of state elections, aimed to provide ₹1,500 per month to eligible women aged 21-65 from families earning under ₹2.5 lakh annually.

However, an audit by the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department has revealed that Rs 21.44 crore was wrongfully transferred to male applicants, who manipulated the online portal to falsely register as female beneficiaries. The fraud came to light nearly ten months after the scheme's launch, triggering widespread criticism.

"The Ladki Bahin scheme was launched to support poor women. There is absolutely no justification for men being enrolled. We will recover the money, and if they do not cooperate, strict action will follow," said Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

A Scheme Plagued by Misuse

The fraudulent male enrollments are just the tip of the iceberg. The WCD's internal review estimates that Rs 1,640 crore may have been misused in the first year alone due to widespread violations of eligibility norms.

Among the major irregularities:

• 7.97 lakh women enrolled as third beneficiaries in households, violating the two-woman-per-family rule. Estimated cost: ₹1,196 crore.
• 2.87 lakh women over the age limit of 65 continued to receive benefits, leading to a loss of ₹431.7 crore.
• 1.62 lakh women from households owning four-wheelers-automatically disqualified under scheme rules-were also found to be receiving payments.
• These findings point toward loopholes in the verification process and possible collusion at multiple levels.

Opposition Demands Probe

The opposition has seized on the revelations, demanding accountability and a deeper investigation. NCP MP Supriya Sule has raised sharp questions on how male applicants could circumvent identity verification protocols, hinting at a larger conspiracy involving the tech vendor managing the registration process.

"This is not a small error. How did men register? Who helped them? Was the registration company involved? This calls for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or an Enforcement Directorate (ED) inquiry," Sule demanded.

Government Promises Clean-up

The Mahayuti government has initiated corrective steps. In December 2024, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a comprehensive audit. By February 2025, around five lakh ineligible beneficiaries were struck off the rolls.

On July 26, 2025, WCD Minister Aditi Tatkare stated that the department had coordinated with multiple agencies to screen all applications. The Information and Technology Department has since identified 26.34 lakh ineligible recipients, prompting further action.

"This review is critical for restoring faith in the scheme. Our focus now is on recovering funds and ensuring only eligible women continue to benefit," Tatkare said.