The Maharashtra government has requested the Income Tax Department in Mumbai to provide data on women taxpayers who are beneficiaries of the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana scheme. The state administration has asked for complete details of women who have filed tax returns to ascertain the eligibility of the flagship scheme amid allegations that several women politicians are getting benefits.
A senior tax official said that the request for the income tax data has been forwarded to the Union Finance Ministry for approval, as per the FPJ report. “We have forwarded the request to the Union Finance Ministry for approval to share the required tax payers data and ITR filed by the women in Maharashtra,” confirmed a senior tax official.
The Mahayuti alliance, led by the BJP in Maharashtra, launched the flagship scheme to provide Rs 15,00 perks to women beneficiaries during the 2024 Assembly elections campaign, for which 2 crore 67 lakh women applied. After poll results, the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti alliance ordered the review of the scheme to exclude ineligible women, including women car owners. Over 9 lakh women were removed from getting benefits from the Ladki Bahin Yojana scheme.
According to data from the state finance ministry, approximately Rs 3.58 crore was disbursed in the last nine months, with Rs 13,500 per person availed under the Ladki Bahin Yojana, reported FPJ.