A shocking revelation has emerged under the Maharashtra government’s *Chief Minister Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana* where several men have wrongly availed benefits meant exclusively for women, *reported Maharashtra Times*. As per official data, around 12,431 men were mistakenly granted monthly payments of ₹1,500 each under this scheme, which is designed for women aged 21 to 65 years. The initiative, launched in June 2024 just months before the state assembly elections by the BJP-led Mahayuti government, has now come under scrutiny due to large-scale irregularities. The Women and Child Development Department is responsible for implementing this welfare scheme.
According to *Maharashtra Times*, the discovery came through responses to Right to Information (RTI) queries, revealing that 12,431 men received benefits amounting to ₹24.24 crore over 13 months. After verification, all were declared ineligible and removed from the beneficiary list. Additionally, 77,980 women were also found unqualified to receive payments, having collectively drawn ₹140.28 crore for 12 months. These beneficiaries reportedly failed to meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the government resolutions issued on June 28, July 3, and July 12, 2024. However, the state government has yet to decide what punitive action will be taken against these ineligible recipients.
*Maharashtra Times* further reported that over 2,400 government employees, including several men, also received benefits illegally under the scheme. Disciplinary proceedings have now been initiated against these employees. During the verification process, officials identified numerous inconsistencies such as submission of incorrect data and false declarations of income and property details. Some beneficiaries were found availing multiple government schemes simultaneously, while in certain families, more than two women were drawing the same benefit. Several recipients had annual incomes exceeding ₹2.5 lakh, rendering them ineligible under the prescribed norms of the *Majhi Ladki Bahin* scheme.
As per *Maharashtra Times*, the *Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana* is one of the government’s most ambitious welfare schemes, aimed at empowering around 2.41 crore women across Maharashtra by offering ₹1,500 per month. The initiative costs the state exchequer nearly ₹3,700 crore every month. However, its hurried implementation before elections has raised questions about the transparency and monitoring mechanisms in place. The process to recover wrongly disbursed funds has not yet begun. Experts have called for a detailed probe, stressing that while the scheme’s intent was to support needy women, administrative lapses have severely undermined its credibility and purpose.