No recovery of funds under ‘Ladki Bahin Scheme,’ assures Ajit Pawar

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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, has firmly assured that there will be no recovery of funds disbursed under the state's "Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana" (Ladki Bahin Scheme), which provides financial assistance to women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Launched ahead of the 2024 state assembly elections, the scheme offers eligible women a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500. According to Pawar, the scheme now benefits over 2.43 crore women across Maharashtra, costing the state approximately Rs 3,700 crore every month. The scheme was widely credited for playing a significant role in the Mahayuti alliance's resounding victory in the state elections last year.

Pawar's remarks come amid opposition claims that the government might reduce the number of beneficiaries, attempt to recover funds from those deemed ineligible, and potentially discontinue the scheme altogether. In response to these concerns, the Deputy Chief Minister clarified that there would be no recovery of the money already disbursed.

"Last time, we had limited time for the verification of documents of potential beneficiaries. We wanted to link the Aadhaar of every beneficiary to the scheme but could not complete this process. However, I assure you that there will not be any recovery of the funds that have already been provided," Pawar stated. His comments were made during an event at the Vasantdada Sugar Institute in Pune, where he shared the stage with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar.

The Ladki Bahin Scheme is one of the flagship initiatives of the state government, with plans to increase the monthly allowance to Rs 2,100. As per PTI reports, this scheme has gained substantial attention and support, particularly among women in underprivileged sections, and has been seen as a key factor in the electoral success of the ruling alliance.

During the event, Ajit Pawar also spoke about his discussions with Sharad Pawar, noting that they focused on sugar industry-related matters, such as excise, agriculture, and power departments, all of which are intertwined with the sugar business. The Deputy CM also highlighted ongoing concerns about the misuse of government schemes. "When the government introduces schemes for the benefit of the people, there are always some unscrupulous elements trying to take advantage. We have seen this with the Re 1 crop insurance scheme," Pawar remarked.

Pawar also touched upon irregularities identified in the implementation of the Re 1 crop insurance scheme for farmers, pointing out cases where places of worship were mistakenly listed as agricultural lands to claim benefits.

Regarding friction between the Shiv Sena and the NCP over district guardian ministers, Pawar clarified that it is the Chief Minister's prerogative to assign such responsibilities, and he would make a decision upon his return from the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos.