A political storm is brewing in Maharashtra following allegations of widespread irregularities in the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, a flagship scheme providing financial assistance to women. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has threatened legal action, claiming that approximately Rs 14,000 crore was paid to ineligible beneficiaries. He further alleged that the government knowingly allowed these payments to continue before initiating a verification process, suggesting a deliberate delay to influence electoral outcomes.
Mass Deletions and Allegations of Vote Buying
Reports indicate that a significant number of beneficiaries, estimated to be over 92 lakh, have been removed from the scheme following a state-wide verification exercise. This figure far exceeds the earlier publicly disclosed numbers, prompting sharp criticism from opposition parties. The Maharashtra government, however, has largely attributed these deletions to the mandatory e-KYC (electronic Know Your Customer) process, stating that many beneficiaries failed to complete it by the stipulated deadline. According to Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare, around 62 lakh beneficiaries were removed for not completing e-KYC, while others were disqualified for exceeding income ceilings, being government employees, or already receiving benefits from other welfare schemes.
Sanjay Raut has been a vocal critic, alleging that the scheme was introduced primarily to buy votes before the 2024 Assembly elections. He contends that the extensive payments made to ineligible individuals, including government employees and men who allegedly claimed benefits using women’s identities, constitute a gross misuse of public funds. Raut has demanded a thorough inquiry and the attachment of assets of officials responsible for approving these payments, going as far as to suggest the annulment of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections due to alleged vote-buying tactics.
Government’s Defense and Verification Process
The Maharashtra government has defended its actions, stating that the verification drive was essential to identify and remove ineligible applicants and streamline the scheme’s delivery. Minister Aditi Tatkare has rejected claims of arbitrary removal of eligible beneficiaries, emphasizing that the exercise aimed to ensure that only deserving women receive financial aid. She noted that the e-KYC process, initiated in August 2025, faced delays due to the preceding Assembly elections and the Model Code of Conduct. The government has also begun recovering funds from ineligible beneficiaries, with actions initiated against government employees who wrongfully availed benefits and men who allegedly used women’s identities.
The verification process revealed that apart from non-compliance with e-KYC, approximately 16 lakh beneficiaries were removed for belonging to families whose annual income exceeded the scheme’s eligibility ceiling of Rs 2.5 lakh. Nearly 4.42 lakh were disqualified for being government employees, and around 3.6 lakh were already receiving benefits under the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana. Furthermore, about 2.5 lakh cases involved multiple family members claiming benefits, and approximately 1.8 lakh were above the upper age limit of 65 years.
Financial Scrutiny and Opposition’s Concerns
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has also raised concerns regarding the financial management of the scheme, flagging deficiencies in budget estimation, expenditure control, and financial management in its audit for 2024-25. The CAG highlighted an excess expenditure of nearly Rs 3,541 crore without specific justification. The budget allocations for the scheme have crossed Rs 60,000 crore since its introduction. The opposition parties, including the NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), have accused the government of financial mismanagement and questioned the delay in the verification process, suggesting it was strategically timed after the elections.
The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, launched in June 2024, initially had approximately 2.43 crore beneficiaries. Following the verification exercise, which began in September 2025 and concluded by April 2026, the number of active beneficiaries has reduced to over 1.5 crore. The state government has also reduced the scheme’s budget allocation, leading to further criticism from opposition leaders who allege a move towards eventually discontinuing the scheme. The government, however, maintains that the exercise is about ensuring genuine beneficiaries receive support and recovering misappropriated funds.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
 MP Sanjay Raut alleges Rs 14,000 crore paid to ineligible beneficiaries in Maharashtra's Ladki Bahin Yojana and threatens legal action.){kind=link}