Maharashtra: 12,431 Men Illegally Benefited from ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’ — RTI Exposes ₹164 Crore Scam

Mumbai | Khabar 24 Express Digital Desk : A shocking revelation has surfaced in Maharashtra’s flagship women welfare initiative — the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.
The scheme, launched exclusively for women to provide ₹1,500 monthly financial aid, was misused by 12,431 men, according to an RTI reply.

RTI Revelation: Over ₹164 Crore Wrongly Disbursed

As per an RTI report accessed by The Indian Express, the Department of Women and Child Development confirmed that 12,431 male beneficiaries were later removed from the list after verification.
Additionally, 77,980 women were found ineligible, meaning crores of rupees reached the wrong hands.

The RTI data shows that these men received ₹1,500 per month for 13 months, totaling nearly ₹24 crore, while ineligible women received funds worth around ₹140 crore — bringing the total financial loss to over ₹164 crore.

Scheme Launched Before Elections; ₹200 Crore Spent on Publicity

The Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana was launched just four months before the Assembly elections.
The government reportedly spent around ₹200 crore on advertising and promotion.
Currently, 2.41 crore women are registered under this scheme, costing the state exchequer nearly ₹3,700 crore every month.

2,400 Government Employees Also Found in the List

Another RTI revealed that around 2,400 government employees were also among the beneficiaries — despite being ineligible.
Surprisingly, no recovery or legal action has been initiated against them so far.

Minister Aditi Tatkare Confirms 26 Lakh Accounts Under Review

Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare had earlier written on X (Twitter) that nearly 26 lakh beneficiaries did not meet eligibility criteria.
She said that physical verification is ongoing, and those found ineligible will face strict action.

Government sources admit this could be just “the tip of the iceberg”, hinting that the scam might be even bigger.
The state government has stopped payments to about 26 lakh suspicious accounts in June and July 2025.

Big Question — Who Is Responsible?

This revelation has triggered public outrage.
Was this a systemic failure, or a deliberate political ploy ahead of elections?
Experts say the scheme, rushed before polls, has put a massive burden on the state treasury and exposed the government’s poor verification mechanism.

Public Money Lost to System Failures

The incident clearly highlights how public welfare funds meant for genuine women beneficiaries were misused due to administrative lapses.
All eyes are now on the Maharashtra government — to see whether strict action is taken and recovery made from the wrong beneficiaries.

Tags
Maharashtra News, Ladki Bahin Yojana Scam, Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, Aditi Tatkare, RTI Maharashtra, Women Welfare Scheme, Indian Express Report, Maharashtra Politics 2025, Welfare Fund Misuse

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