55 Lakh Women Dropped From ‘Ladki Bahin’ Scheme Over E-KYC Lapses
That 2.43 crore women were initially eligible for monthly assistance under the scheme, of whom 1.88 crore completed e-KYC verification: Officials
MUMBAI: Around 55 lakh women have been automatically removed from the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana (MMLBY) for failing to comply with mandatory e-KYC norms, resulting in an estimated monthly saving of Rs 825 crore for the state exchequer. Data scrutiny with the Transport Department also revealed that families of nearly four lakh beneficiaries own four-wheeler vehicles, making them ineligible under the scheme’s criteria.
Separately, instalment disbursals have been halted for around 24 lakh beneficiaries who selected incorrect responses during the e-KYC process. Officials said a door-to-door verification drive will be undertaken to reassess their eligibility.
To enhance transparency, the BJP-led Mahayuti government made e-KYC mandatory for MMLBY beneficiaries in September 2025, initially providing a two-month window for verification. The deadline was subsequently extended twice, allowing beneficiaries to complete the process until December 31, 2025. The e-KYC drive was initiated following the detection of irregularities during a cross-departmental verification exercise launched by the Information Technology (IT) Department in February 2025.
Officials said that 2.43 crore women were initially eligible for monthly assistance under the scheme, of whom 1.88 crore completed e-KYC verification. “Out of these, 1.57 crore women are currently receiving benefits. The remaining 31 lakh beneficiaries have been discontinued due to various issues, including incorrect responses during e-KYC and ownership of four-wheeler vehicles by their families,” an official said.
A senior official said several beneficiaries have approached the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department, complaining that they have not received benefits for the past two months despite completing e-KYC. “During a review meeting, it was found that one of the e-KYC questions was poorly worded, using a confusing double negative instead of a direct query,” the official said.
The Marathi question — ‘Tumchya gharatle koni sarkari nokrit nahi na?’ (Nobody in your family works for the government, right?) — led some beneficiaries who should have answered “no” to mistakenly select “yes,” officials said.
To address the issue, around one lakh anganwadi workers will be deployed across the state to conduct door-to-door verification of affected beneficiaries. The WCD Department has also activated helpline number 181 for beneficiaries to raise complaints or seek clarification regarding incorrect responses during e-KYC. “Call operators have been appropriately trained, and all complaints related to MMLBY will be addressed through the helpline,” officials said.
The MMLBY scheme was introduced in June 2024 by the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government following its setback in the Lok Sabha elections, to provide financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to married, divorced and destitute women aged 21 to 65 years. The scheme proved to be a key electoral plank for the BJP-led Mahayuti, which returned to power with a decisive majority in the Assembly elections held in November 2024.
However, the scheme’s financial burden has been a concern for the state administration and finance department. After being sworn in as Chief Minister in December 2024, Devendra Fadnavis announced a review of ineligible beneficiaries. Subsequently, the Women and Child Development Department carried out scrutiny with the assistance of multiple departments, including Information Technology, Agriculture, Social Justice and Transport, as well as district collectors across the state.
