Shortly after Maharashtra win, Mahayuti mulls tweaks to Ladki Bahin scheme

Following the Mahayuti alliance's decisive victory in the Maharashtra assembly elections, largely being attributed to the Ladki Bahin Yojana, reports have now emerged that state officials are revisiting the programme’s fiscal sustainability. Hindustan Times reported, quoting an official, that the programme’s current structure may strain state finances, adding that revising the beneficiary list is essential due to the inclusion of ineligible individuals. The finance department estimates that nearly 10 million women on the list fail to meet eligibility criteria, such as incomplete Aadhaar seeding or lack of required ration cards. The scheme, launched in July 2024, provides economically disadvantaged women aged 18 to 65 with monthly payments of Rs 1,500. Its popularity prompted the alliance to promise an increase to Rs 2,100 in their manifesto. However, officials are now concerned about its financial viability.