Nagpur: The Maharashtra Government has acknowledged massive irregularities in the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, revealing that nearly Rs 35 crore was pocketed by 26 lakh ineligible beneficiaries, including government employees and even men.
In a written reply in the Legislative Council, Women & Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare disclosed that 1,526 government employees alone siphoned off Rs 14.5 crore, while another 14,298 men, despite the scheme being strictly for women, also managed to draw funds.
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10 dec 2025
Tatkare informed members that the state has decided to recover the money from both groups. The concerned departments have been directed to initiate action under the Maharashtra Civil Service Rules, she said, adding that recovery proceedings will begin shortly.
Responding to questions raised by MLCs Pradnya Satav, Satej Patil, Ashok Jagtap, Praveen Darekar and Niranjan Davkhare, Tatkare clarified that no new eligibility norms have been introduced. “If government employees or men have availed benefits, recovery will be initiated. However, the Cabinet has resolved not to forcibly recover money from individuals who were excluded on their own or for other non-fraud reasons,” she said.
The rot surfaced earlier this year after Tatkare’s department launched a sweeping audit of the scheme. The state IT department flagged that 26.3 lakh beneficiaries had continued receiving funds despite not meeting eligibility criteria. Some had enrolled in multiple schemes, others had more than two beneficiaries in one family, and in some cases, men applied and were approved.
As a result, benefits to all 26.3 lakh ineligible recipients were suspended in June. In the same month, 2.2 crore eligible women continued to receive the Rs 1,500 monthly stipend. The scheme covers married, widowed, divorced, deserted and destitute women aged 21-65 with annual household income below Rs 2.5 lakh, along with one unmarried woman per family.
A political game-changer in the 2024 Assembly elections, the Ladki Bahin scheme was credited for boosting the Mahayuti’s sweeping victory. After taking charge in December 2024, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a strict verification drive. By February 2025, the state had already weeded out five lakh ineligible beneficiaries, including those above 65 and individuals already covered under the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana.
Under existing rules, Ladki Bahin beneficiaries can access another scheme only if the combined monthly assistance does not exceed Rs 1,500.
