Ladki Bahin Yojana: Will Tax-Paying Women Be Removed From Beneficiary List?, Eligibility Review Underway

The Ladki Bahin Scheme, which provides financial aid to women from low-income families, is being reviewed because some women who are financially stable have been receiving benefits. The Maharashtra government is planning a verification process to find those beneficiaries who pay income tax and might not qualify for the program. Recently, it was found that about 2,000 female government employees in the state were receiving benefits from the Ladki Bahin Scheme. After review, many of these women might be removed from the beneficiary list. The upcoming verification will check the eligibility of women who file income tax returns at both the state and district levels.

The Mahayuti government introduced the Ladki Bahin Scheme before the assembly elections, accepting applications from July 1 to September 2024. After the Mahayuti government regained power, they began working to remove financially secure women from the beneficiary list. In March 2025, similar reductions were made to the lists of beneficiaries in other welfare programs like the Sanjay Gandhi Niradhar Yojana and Shravanbal Yojana.

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The Central Government has, through a notification, permitted the Women and Child Development Secretary of the Government of Maharashtra to provide data on women who file income tax. This notification was issued on June 3, 2025 with the approval of the Secretary, Union Finance Ministry Jaya Prakash. The Maharashtra Government had sought permission from the Finance Ministry of the Central Government to provide benefits to eligible beneficiaries of the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana and exclude women who file income tax. The Center approved this.