Maharashtra cuts Ladki Bahin Yojana payout for 8 lakh women to Rs 500 per month: Report

The Maharashtra government has slashed the monthly payout under its Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana from Rs 1,500 to Rs 500 for 8 lakh women who are also receiving Rs 1,000 per month under the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi scheme, reported The Times of India.

Under the rules of the Ladki Bahin scheme, beneficiaries may receive other government assistance only if the total monthly benefit does not exceed Rs 1,500. The reduction is part of the state’s ongoing scrutiny to ensure the scheme is limited to those who meet the eligibility criteria.

“There has been an ongoing scrutiny,” the newspaper quoted an unidentified official as saying. “First to scan the applications that were sent by the districts to the state headquarters. And then to re-scrutinise the eligible cases.”

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier said he expected the scrutiny to bring down the number of beneficiaries by 10 to 15 lakh. “We're not changing criteria or funding, just ensuring only eligible ones get the stipend,” he had said.

The state had received about 2.63 crore applications for the scheme by October. After verification, this figure dropped by 11 lakh to 2.52 crore by February, with 2.46 crore beneficiaries receiving the payout in February and March.

To qualify, applicants must be aged between...

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