Nagpur: Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule asserted on Sunday that no welfare schemes in the State will be stopped for want of funds. He said, “Separate provisions have been made for each welfare scheme and none has been affected by the flagship Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana”.
Under the Ladki Bahin scheme, women in the 21-65 age group with an annual family income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh get Rs 1,500 per month as aid. The scheme is widely credited to have contributed to the BJP-led Mahayuti’s big win in the state assembly polls in November 2024.
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Saturday 22 March 2025
Responding to a query that there are allegations that other initiatives are hit due to the Ladki Bahin programme, which is likely to cost the state around Rs 46,000 crore annually, Bawankule said fund allocation has been made for every scheme under a separate head.
“Our Government has allocated a separate budget for every scheme. Ladki Bahin has a separate budget. Likewise, schemes for farm crop insurance have a separate budget. Some people are creating confusion about the Ladki Bahin Yojana,” said the State BJP President.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has already clarified that there will not be any sort of recovery, said Bawankule. The CM has also made it clear that the Shiv Bhojan scheme (to provide food at discounted rates to the poor) will not be stopped, he said.
महाराष्ट्रातील कोणतीही योजना आमचं सरकार बंद होऊ देणार नाही-प्रदेशाध्यक्ष @cbawankule जी pic.twitter.com/OYmgaGai6M
— भाजपा महाराष्ट्र (@BJP4Maharashtra) February 17, 2025
The Minister said some people, who do not require financial assistance, have taken undue advantage of the Ladki Bahin scheme despite not being eligible. “We request such people to give up the scheme. Our aim is to empower those women who are financially weak and need financial help. We want to extend the benefits of the scheme to such women,” he said.
All the ongoing welfare programmes of the state government will continue as usual, Bawankule assured. “We will not stop any scheme. Rather, we will increase the number of schemes,” he added.
During the Assembly poll campaign, Mahayuti leaders had promised to hike the monthly aid under Ladki Bahin from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100. However, the scheme has been attacked by the opposition over its financial viability in a state where the fiscal deficit has touched Rs 2 lakh crore.
