Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday announced that ineligible beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Scheme (MMLBS) will no longer receive payments. A comprehensive verification process is currently underway to identify such cases.The announcement follows reports that the highest number of ineligible beneficiaries hail from Pune and Thane districts — strongholds of Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, respectively. The discrepancies were uncovered during a cross-departmental verification drive launched in February 2025 by the Information Technology Department. The probe revealed widespread irregularities such as beneficiaries enrolled in multiple schemes, households with more than two recipients, and even male applicants receiving the Rs 1,500 monthly stipend meant exclusively for women. So far, 26.34 lakh beneficiaries have been found ineligible under the scheme. According to reports, Pune leads with 2.4 lakh ineligible beneficiaries followed by Nashik (1.86 lakh), Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar) (1.25 lakh), Thane (1.25 lakh), Mumbai Suburbs (1.13 lakh), and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (1.04 lakh). Amid the controversy, cabinet minister Chhagan Bhujbal urged ineligible women to voluntarily opt out of the scheme. “Those who are not eligible should come forward and say they don’t want the stipend. This will resolve the issue. Strict action should also be taken against male beneficiaries,” he said. When asked about Pune topping the list of ineligible recipients, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar shrugged off the matter, saying, “It’s okay… Should I stop the scheme?” The Chief Minister reiterated that the government is taking the matter seriously. “A probe is underway, and the benefits will be stopped for those who received them inappropriately,” said Mr. Fadnavis. However, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar questioned how such large-scale irregularities could occur when application, verification, and approval mechanisms are controlled by the government. In a post on X, Rohit Pawar said, “It is extremely shocking that the highest number of bogus applications come from the districts of both Deputy Chief Ministers. This proves that the scheme was launched purely with political motives by the Mahayuti government.” He added that the “sisters” who were “dear” before elections are now being discarded. “Calling women ‘beloved sisters’ before elections and then branding them as bogus after winning must stop,” he said. The MMLBS was launched in June 2024, following the Mahayuti alliance’s poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections. Aimed at providing financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to married, divorced, and destitute women aged 21–65 with annual family income less than Rs 2.50 lakh, the scheme is credited with helping the BJP-led Mahayuti retain power with a significant majority in the November 2024 Assembly elections. However, the financial burden of the scheme has become a concern for the state. After taking office in December 2024, CM Fadnavis ordered a thorough review of beneficiaries. The scrutiny is being conducted by the Women and Child Development Department in coordination with departments such as Information Technology, Agriculture, Social Justice, and Transport, along with the district collectors.
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