Key Facts & Provisions (UPSC Prelims):
- Launch: Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana was launched in August 2024 by the Maharashtra government.
- Objective: Provide financial aid to impoverished women (age 21–65) to promote economic independence and empowerment.
- Benefit: Eligible women receive ₹1,500 per month via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). (The ruling coalition has since promised an eventual increase to ₹2,100, pending budget approval.)
- Eligibility: Permanent Maharashtra resident women aged 21–65, with family income ≤ ₹2.5 lakh per annum and no taxpayer in the family. (Notably, government employees are ineligible.)
- Coverage: Targeted at ~2.5 crore women across the state. Over 2.38 crore women had received payments totaling ₹17,505.9 crore by Dec 2024.
- Cost: Annual outlay ~₹46,000 crore (projected) to the state exchequer. Maharashtra’s FY2024 budget set aside ₹46,000 crore, with ₹36,000 crore earmarked for FY2025-26.
Objectives and Features
The Ladki Bahin Yojana seeks to strengthen women’s economic empowerment by providing direct cash assistance. It aims to make women (21–65 years) self-reliant, improve their health and nutritional status, and bolster their role in family and community. Under this flagship Maharashtra scheme, qualified women get ₹1,500 per month deposited into their bank accounts via DBT. The government frames it as a long-term program (introduced in August 2024) to uplift vulnerable women, particularly widows, divorcees and homemakers, by supplementing their income.
Historical Background & Context
Maharashtra’s Ladki Bahin scheme was announced ahead of the Oct 2024 state elections as a populist welfare promise. Modelled after Madhya Pradesh’s Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana, it reflects a broader trend of “Ladli” (beloved daughter/sister) schemes for women. The Shinde-led government linked the launch to Raksha Bandhan (symbolically protecting women) and portrayed it as a permanent commitment to women’s welfare. Socio-economically, the scheme targets economically disadvantaged households where women often lack independent income. By transferring funds directly, it attempts to address poverty among women and incentivize their financial inclusion (e.g. by linking Aadhar to bank accounts).
Implementation Details
The scheme is administered by Maharashtra’s Women and Child Development Department. Enrollment is digital: women register via the Nari Shakti Doot mobile app or receive in-person help from local officials (e.g. Anganwadi workers). A beneficiary’s Aadhaar-linked bank account is credited ₹1,500 each month. As a DBT scheme, it leverages existing banking and Jan-Dhan infrastructure. The government also periodically audits and verifies the beneficiary list: in early 2025 it identified and removed thousands of ineligible recipients (e.g. 2,289 government employees wrongly enrolled). According to official statements, only non-taxpaying women from poor families remain eligible; the scheme’s rules explicitly exclude income taxpayers and government workers.
Budgetary Provisions & Fiscal Impact
Maharashtra initially budgeted ₹46,000 crore annually for Ladki Bahin. By December 2024 (five months post-launch), ~₹17,506 crore had been disbursed to ~2.38 crore women. In practice, the scheme was costing about ₹33,232 crore by end-2024 for 2.53 crore pay-outs. For 2025–26, the state finance minister allocated ₹36,000 crore for the scheme (a ₹10,000 crore cut from the prior budget). This indicates sustained but slightly scaled-back support; officials cite fiscal constraints, while promising to gradually fulfill the earlier pledge of ₹2,100 per month. Civil servants must note that Ladki Bahin is one of the largest state-sponsored welfare spends, with implications for Maharashtra’s fiscal deficit and debt.
Socio-Political Impact
Politically, Ladki Bahin has been a high-profile election promise and social campaign. The ruling coalition credited it with winning substantial support from female voters, and analysts linked the scheme to the Mahayuti alliance’s 2024 landslide in the 288-member assembly. Campaign documents promised increasing the payout to ₹2,100 (a promise noted by opposition as unfulfilled in early budgets). The scheme’s roll-out has raised awareness of women’s welfare: beneficiaries publicly expressed appreciation at receiving payments. However, detractors label it a populist “election stunt” and caution about long-term viability. Opponents point out Maharashtra’s high fiscal deficit and contend that ongoing payouts of this magnitude may strain other development priorities.
Criticisms and Challenges
Critics of Ladki Bahin highlight several challenges:
- Fiscal Strain: Detractors warn the scheme may widen Maharashtra’s fiscal gap. With annual costs exceeding ₹30,000 crore, critics say the state may need to reallocate funds from other sectors.
- Beneficiary Verification: Media reports in 2025 exposed misuse: over 2,289 government employees (ineligible by rule) received payouts, costing ~₹3.5 crore. This led to tighter scrutiny. Ensuring that only genuinely needy women benefit remains a concern.
- Political Reversals: Some opposition leaders accuse the government of backtracking on election promises (e.g. delay in the ₹2,100 increase). Confusion over scheme continuity emerged in mid-2025, until officials reaffirmed it will continue.
- Administrative Load: Rapid onboarding of millions of beneficiaries posed logistical hurdles (e.g. Aadhar-bank linkage, digital literacy). Ensuring timely monthly transfers without fraud is a significant task for implementing agencies.
Suggestions for Improvement
To enhance the Ladki Bahin Yojana’s effectiveness, analysts suggest: strengthening eligibility checks (e.g. cross-verification with income tax/UIDAI data) to eliminate ineligible beneficiaries; gradually phasing in any increase (e.g. to ₹2,100) with a clear fiscal roadmap; and integrating the scheme with employment or skill programs for women to maximize long-term empowerment. Improving outreach—through local officials and NGOs—can raise awareness of the scheme among rural women. Regular third-party audits and transparency portals would build trust and prevent leakages. By complementing cash transfers with financial literacy campaigns, the scheme could better achieve its goal of making women self-reliant in the socio-economic context.
Comparative Insights (Other Women’s Schemes)
- Madhya Pradesh – Ladli Behna Yojana (2023): Launched Jan 2023 for married, widowed or divorced women (21–60 yrs) in MP. Initially ₹1,000 per month, raised to ₹1,250 in 2023 and to ₹1,500 from Oct 2025. It currently covers ~1.27 crore beneficiaries. Like Maharashtra’s scheme, MP’s targets low-income families (≤₹2.5L). Both were introduced as major BJP-led welfare pledges; MP’s scheme preceded Ladki Bahin by ~1½ years. Maharashtra’s benefits (₹1,500) and age bracket (up to 65) are similar, but Ladki Bahin has enrolled more women (2+ crore) in a shorter period.
- Jammu & Kashmir – Ladli Beti Yojana (2013): Aimed at improving J&K’s female child ratio. Under it, the government deposits ₹1,000/month into a 14-year recurring account for each newborn girl (total ₹1.68 lakh at maturity). Though focused on girls at birth (not adult women), it reflects J&K’s gender welfare emphasis. UPSC/JKAS candidates can compare it with Ladki Bahin to note differences: Ladli Beti is a long-term savings scheme for child welfare, whereas Ladki Bahin is an immediate cash transfer for adult women.
- Other Schemes: Several states have similar welfare schemes (e.g. “Ladli” or “Behna” schemes in Rajasthan/Chhattisgarh, Delhi’s Mahila Samman Pension). The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (central) campaign also targets gender equity, though via education/survival incentives rather than monthly cash. Such comparisons show a national trend of targeted women-friendly schemes in state budgets.
Sources: Official news reports and government releases. All information is based on public-domain sources.
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