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According to official sources, the total amount availed illegally by the women is estimated at around Rs 3 crore (Express File/Amit Chakravarty)
The Maharashtra Women and Child Development (WCD) Department has identified 2,289 women state government employees who enrolled for the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin’ scheme and illegally availed its benefits despite being ineligible, WCD Minister Aditi Tatkare said on Friday.
According to official sources, the total amount availed illegally by the women is estimated at around Rs 3 crore and the state government is likely to recover the money from them.
“Verification of beneficiaries is a standard and ongoing process in the implementation of any scheme, and it is being strictly followed in the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme. During verification conducted around January–February, we found that 2,289 government employees had enrolled for the scheme. Since then, no benefits have been distributed to these employees. We remain committed to ensuring that the scheme benefits only the rightful beneficiaries, and this verification process will continue on a regular basis,” Tatkare said.
The revelation came after the WCD department launched a comprehensive verification process of beneficiary applications in recent months. The General Administration Department (GAD) collaborated by sharing data of state government employees with the Information Technology Department for cross-verification. During this exercise, data from around two lakh applications was scrutinised via the Sevaarth system.
As per the scheme’s eligibility criteria, government employees are explicitly barred from receiving benefits. However, verification revealed that 2,289 women government employees had not only registered but also received financial assistance under the scheme.
Launched in July 2024, the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana aims to empower women by providing Rs 1,500 per month to eligible beneficiaries. The scheme is intended for women whose annual family income does not exceed Rs 2.5 lakh.
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