Fadnavis Defends ‘Ladki Bahin’ Verification Drive Amid Reports of 80 Lakh Exclusions
Mr. Fadnavis said the government had initially accepted applications on the basis of self-certification to ensure timely disbursal of benefits, with verification to be carried out later.
Mumbai:Amid reports that nearly 80 lakh women have been removed from the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that only those found ineligible under the scheme's criteria or those who failed to complete the mandatory KYC process have been excluded. He added that eligible beneficiaries whose KYC remains pending would be given an opportunity to complete the verification process.
Mr. Fadnavis said the government had initially accepted applications on the basis of self-certification to ensure timely disbursal of benefits, with verification to be carried out later. However, subsequent scrutiny and audit requirements revealed several irregularities, including applications from around 14,000 men, five lakh government employees, 10 lakh income-tax payers and nearly five lakh four-wheeler owners, all of whom are ineligible under the scheme's criteria.
The chief minister said the scheme has eligibility conditions related to age, household limits and income. Women who pay income tax, hold government jobs or own four-wheeled vehicles are not eligible for benefits. According to him, conducting verification before implementation would have delayed the scheme significantly, prompting the government to rely initially on information submitted by applicants.
Mr. Fadnavis said, “The government has corrected faulty KYC details of around 25 lakh beneficiaries and had kept the KYC window open for eight months, extending the deadline twice. Women who failed to complete the process despite repeated reminders were removed from the beneficiary list. But the government is willing to reopen the KYC window for genuinely eligible women whose verification remains pending.”
Assuring that no recovery will be made from women who received benefits despite later being found ineligible, Mr. Fadnavis said, “However, future disbursals must comply with the scheme’s eligibility rules and audit requirements. Continuing payments to ineligible beneficiaries could invite objections during audit and lead to recovery proceedings, as the funds involved are public money.”