Maharashtra's Ladki Bahin Crackdown: How Fraud Cost the State ₹1,189 Crore

The government has initiated action for recovery from the ineligible, fraudulent beneficiaries and government employees.

Disciplinary action is being taken against the officials whose negligence led to the disbursement of funds to ineligible beneficiaries and who were involved in approving fraudulent applications.

The scheme, which provides a direct financial benefit (DBT) of Rs 1500 per month to eligible women, has seen misuse, prompting a detailed investigation.

In a written reply to a question by Congress legislators Pradnya Satav and Satej Patil, and other legislators, Minister Tatkare said the decision has been taken to recover the misappropriated funds from these government officials and employees as per the necessary procedure mandated by the Maharashtra Civil Services Rules.

The respective departments have been notified to initiate the recovery process.

Furthermore, a decision has been taken in a Cabinet meeting that the financial aid received by beneficiaries who voluntarily or due to other reasons ceased to be eligible for the scheme will not be recovered.

According to the women and child welfare department sources, approximately 26.85 lakh women were found to be ineligible or had claimed benefits fraudulently. They collectively received around Rs 1189 crore in financial aid.

She further added that approximately 10,956 state government employees were found to have taken advantage of the scheme through illegal means. These employees collectively received around Rs 18.57 crore in benefits.

The state government had increased the monthly financial aid under the scheme from Rs 1000 to Rs 1500. Along with this increase, new conditions and terms have been added to the scheme, and various committees and officials are working on its implementation.

Earlier, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday warned legislators from both the ruling and opposition sides for repeatedly invoking the state’s flagship Ladki Bahin Yojana while raising unrelated issues during the Question Hour in the Assembly.

“If this continues, you will have to sit at home,” an irritated Chief Minister said in a stern voice inside the assembly. Ironically, he snubbed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Abhimanyu Pawar.

Pawar — a two-term MLA who earlier served as Fadnavis’s personal assistant — raised the issue of alleged illegal liquor distribution and made a passing reference to the Ladki Bahini Yojana.

The Chief Minister immediately interrupted him and warned him. “I have already asked members not to randomly mention the Ladki Bahin Yojana while raising unrelated concerns,” he said, leading to surprised silence in the assembly.

The Congress MLA Jyoti Gaikwad, during question hour, had mentioned the scheme while debating the issue of the death of a female doctor in Phaltan. It forced the Chief Minister to advise legislators not to link the scheme with every issue being discussed.

Fadnavis asserted that the programme was a major state initiative and should not be dragged into unrelated subjects for political effect.

“This scheme will continue. It will not take away funds or resources from any other programme. But no one should make unnecessary remarks about it,” he said.

- IANS