The government's Ladki Bahin Yojana has diverted Rs 410 crore from the Social Justice Department and more funds may be diverted this year, said the president of the Samvidhan Foundation and former civil servant E Z Khobragade on Saturday. He demanded that the Social Justice Minister clarify on this matter.
The department is bound to spend the funds of the Social Justice Department only on schemes that are or have been planned for the Scheduled Castes and Neo-Buddhists. That is why provision is made in the annual budget based on the population. According to the policy directives of the erstwhile Planning Commission and the current NITI Aayog, this fund, which is called the Scheduled Caste Sub-scheme, cannot be spent on any general scheme of any department. There is no question of diversion.
The Ladki Bahin Yojana is a general scheme. General means open to all. It is not a caste-based scheme. It is not a scheme of the Social Justice Department. All those who are eligible can take advantage of it. Even if there are women beneficiaries of the Scheduled Castes, the expenditure should be made from the general fund. The funds of the Social Justice Department cannot be used for this. Doing so is against the policy directives given by the NITI Aayog. In this situation, the Social Justice Department, by its order dated 31 July 2025, has again diverted funds of Rs 410 crore to the Women and Child Welfare Department to provide them to the beloved sisters. This fund has been diverted earlier. In the year 2025-26, an estimated Rs 3500 to Rs 4 thousand crores of the Social Justice Department's funds can be diverted, said Khobragade.