File photo of Nitin Gadkari, Ajit Pawar, Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis presenting a cheque to a beneficiary of Ladki Bahin scheme in Nagpur.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Mumbai: The Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana is likely to be named after former Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who as the state finance and planning minister, has rolled out the cash-benefit scheme for women.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has assured to look into the demand made by NCP MLA Amol Mitari, who was a close aide of Ajit Pawar.
Ajit Pawar (66), the deputy chief minister and NCP president, popularly known as Dada, died in a plane crash on 28 January 2026 while it was landing in his hometown of Baramati in Pune district.
“Dada's wrist would be full of rakhis when he travelled across the state during his yatras. The state government would give a true tribute to him if it names the scheme as Ajitdadanchi Ladki Bahin Yojana,” Mitkari demanded.
Speaking to reporters in Haridwar, Fadnavis said, "There are several demands. We will sit together and think about how to go about it.”
The scheme was launched by Maha Yuti dispensation - when Eknath Shinde was the was the chief minister - ahead of 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly polls and this helped them come to power with a huge margin.
Under the scheme, which was launched from July 2024, the government provides Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women in the age group of 21-60 years age bracket for overall progress of women, including economic independence, self-reliance, health and nutrition.