Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led Maharashtra government has announced good news for its "beloved sisters" ahead of Makar Sankranti 2025. Under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana scheme, the government will provide a special gift to women beneficiaries.
Earlier, during the Diwali Bhaubij festival, the government credited the Ladki Bahin Yojana instalment in advance for November 2024. Now, ahead of the kite festival, the government plans to deposit Rs 3,000—covering the instalments for both December and January—into the accounts of eligible beneficiaries in Maharashtra.
The initiative has sparked women's curiosity about the exact timeline for the disbursement. According to reports, the funds will be deposited before Sankranti, ending the beneficiaries' wait.
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The government has allocated Rs 1,400 crore for the scheme during the ongoing winter session Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. A decision to re-verify over 3 crore applications for December and January has been postponed, ensuring that all women who have applied so far will be getting benefits. Currently, there is no directive to reject applications from ineligible beneficiaries, and the scrutiny of newly received applications is in its final stages.
The Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana scheme received an overwhelming response from across the state, benefiting the ruling coalition during the recently concluded Maharashtra Assembly elections. Due to the model code of conduct for the polls, the November instalment was disbursed earlier. Now, beneficiaries eagerly await the sixth instalment or the combined December and January instalments.
Additionally, there is speculation that an increased instalment might be announced during the March budget session, further sweetening the deal for the beneficiaries. This year, the Fadnavis government's initiative promises to make Sankranti especially joyous for its "beloved sisters."