Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis disclosed discrepancies in the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, revealing that over 80 lakh women were excluded due to irregularities found in a recent database verification. Initially, the scheme allowed self-certification for registration to facilitate document collection by women. However, a thorough audit involving cross-referencing with various databases exposed numerous ineligible beneficiaries.
CM Fadnavis highlighted that more than 500,000 women enrolled were government employees, while nearly 1 million exceeded the income limit of Rs 2.5 lakh annually. Additionally, 14,000 men were unlawfully receiving benefits meant for women. Despite repeated reminders, many beneficiaries failed to complete mandatory KYC verification, leading to immediate suspension of disbursements to non-compliant accounts.
The state government decided not to reclaim funds disbursed to ineligible women but vowed strict action against the 14,000 fraudulent male beneficiaries. Eligible women who completed KYC verification will continue to receive assistance, with provisions for remaining valid beneficiaries to finalize their KYC. CM Fadnavis assured that no eligible women were excluded, emphasizing adherence to set criteria and the need for stringent verification processes.
