Ladki Bahin scheme to continue, no question of scrapping it: Ajit Pawar

Mumbai: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has said the government's flagship Ladki Bahin scheme to provide financial assistance to women will continue and that there is no question of scrapping it.

Under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, which is believed to have played a key role in the victory of the ruling Mahayuti (comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP) in the state polls last year, women are provided Rs 1,500 every month.

Talking to reporters on Tuesday night, Pawar, who is also the state's finance minister, said, "The budgetary allocation for the implementation of the scheme has been made and there is no question of scrapping it."

Earlier, state Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare on Tuesday said no change has been made in the amount of assistance paid under the scheme, but some 7.74 lakh women already getting Rs 1,000 under another scheme are being paid the difference of Rs 500.

She was responding to media reports claiming the aid under the Ladki Bahin scheme was reduced for 7,74,148 women who were receiving benefits of other schemes.

Rs 1,500 per month are paid under the Ladki Bahin Yojana to women who are not taking advantage of any other government scheme. To those who are receiving a benefit of less than Rs 1,500 under other schemes, the difference is paid under the Ladki Bahin Yojana, Tatkare said.

In line with this policy, the difference of Rs 500 is being paid to 7,74,148 women who are receiving Rs 1,000 per month under the Namo Shetkari Samman Yojana, the NCP leader said in a post on X.

"No eligible woman has been excluded from the Ladki Bahin scheme, and no change has been made in the said process after July 3, 2024," Tatkare said, adding she has clarified about the same during the budget session of the state legislature.

The opposition was constantly spreading misinformation about the scheme and its leaders either have a poor understanding of administrative matters or their morale has been hit by the success of the scheme, she claimed.