A recent Right to Information (RTI) response from Maharashtra's Department of Women and Child Development has shed light on significant lapses in the implementation of the state's flagship women's welfare program, the 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana' (Chief Minister My Beloved Sister Scheme). The disclosure confirms that thousands of ineligible individuals, including men, have been part of the beneficiary list, resulting in an estimated financial drain of more than ₹160 crore on the public exchequer. This revelation comes amid a post-election audit of the scheme, which was widely credited for bolstering the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti alliance's comeback in the 2024 Maharashtra assembly polls.
The RTI, filed by Ajay Basudev Bose, a resident of Mumbai, sought details on the number of eligible female beneficiaries and the disbursed amounts under the scheme from July 2024 to June 2025. In its reply dated August 7, 2025, the department's Public Information Officer, Santosh M. Dalvi, stated that an estimated 12,431 women had been declared ineligible after scrutiny. Additionally, applications from approximately 77,980 men - who inexplicably applied for the women exclusive program - were excluded from the scheme. While the response attaches detailed figures (not available in the public disclosure), it notes that these exclusions stem from a review process aimed at weeding out fraudulent claims.
Launched in July 2024 by the Eknath Shinde government shortly after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) suffered setbacks in Maharashtra during the Lok Sabha elections, the scheme promised Rs 1,500 per month to economically disadvantaged women aged 21 to 65 with a family income below Rs 2.5 lakh annually. The initiative was positioned as a direct cash transfer to empower women, improve their health and nutrition, and enhance their role in family decision-making. Eligible categories included married, widowed, divorced, abandoned, and destitute women, with benefits disbursed via direct bank transfers.
Political analysts attribute the scheme's popularity to the Mahayuti - comprising the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), resurgence in the November 2024 state assembly elections. The NDA's poor showing in the national polls, where it won only 17 of Maharashtra's 48 seats, prompted a series of populist measures, including this one. Critics, however, argued it was an electoral gimmick, with opposition parties like the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) labelling it a "jumla" (empty promise) designed to sway female voters. Despite the controversy, the scheme reportedly reached over 2.25 crore women, disbursing billions in aid and contributing to the coalition's victory, where it secured a comfortable majority.
The post-election "post-mortem," as described by sources within the government, involved a rigorous verification drive led by the state's Information and Technology Department. This audit uncovered widespread irregularities, including duplicate applications, beneficiaries exceeding income limits, and even government employees claiming benefits. The RTI's figures suggest that the ineligible recipients - totalling around 90,411 individuals may have received payments for the full 12-month period before detection. At Rs 1,500 per month per beneficiary, this equates to ₹18,000 per person annually, leading to a cumulative loss of approximately Rs 162.74 crore. Government officials have clarified that while men's applications were largely rejected upfront, some ineligible women continued receiving payouts until the review flagged them.
This is not the first time the scheme has faced backlash over mismanagement. Earlier reports from July 2025 indicated a broader scandal, with over 26 lakh beneficiaries temporarily suspended after being deemed ineligible. Among them, more than 14,000 were men who had somehow availed benefits under the women-only program, drawing ridicule and accusations of lax oversight. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, in a statement last month, assured that the state would recover disbursed amounts from fraudulent claimants and pursue legal action if necessary. Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare emphasised that the suspensions were precautionary, with district collectors tasked to re-verify cases for potential reinstatement of genuine beneficiaries.
The financial implications are stark. With the scheme's annual budget already straining the state's finances, which is estimated at Rs 46,000 crore for 2024-25 - the losses from irregularities exacerbate Maharashtra's fiscal challenges. Experts warn that recovering funds from ineligible beneficiaries could be arduous, involving legal proceedings and administrative hurdles. In Nashik division alone, over 5 lakh women were scrutinised earlier this year, with thousands removed from the rolls.
