Maharashtra removes 92 lakh Ladki Bahin beneficiaries

The Maharashtra government has removed more than 92 lakh beneficiaries from its flagship Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana following a statewide verification drive, reducing the scheme's coverage by nearly 38 percent. The exercise, which began in September 2025, has cut the number of women receiving the monthly Rs 1,500 stipend from a peak of approximately 2.43 crore to just over 1.5 crore.

Officials estimate that beneficiaries later found ineligible had collectively received nearly Rs 14,000 crore in assistance before their payments were stopped. On average, these individuals received benefits for about ten months, though the duration varied based on when discrepancies were identified during the verification process.

The overwhelming majority of exclusions, about 62 lakh beneficiaries, were due to a failure to complete the mandatory electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) authentication. Other significant reasons for removal included belonging to families with annual incomes exceeding the Rs 2.5 lakh eligibility ceiling (16 lakh beneficiaries), having a family member who is a government employee (4.42 lakh beneficiaries), and already receiving benefits under the Sanjay Gandhi...