Is Maharashtra’s Ladki Bahin Yojana experiencing a budget reduction?

The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana run by the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government may see its budget allocation reduced by up to 20% in 2026–27 after a verification drive significantly lowered the number of beneficiaries. The proposed increase in monthly payments from ₹1,500 to ₹2,100 may also be delayed.

Drop in beneficiaries after e-KYC checks may lead to lower allocation in 2026–27

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After Aadhaar-linked e-KYC checks and cross-verification with tax and other databases, the beneficiary count dropped from about 2.43 crore to nearly 1.8 crore, removing roughly 60 lakh ineligible recipients. Officials are assessing whether the decline could lead to savings of up to ₹9,000 crore, which may be reflected in the next Budget.

For 2025–26, the state initially allocated ₹36,000 crore to the scheme. However, with the higher beneficiary count, an additional ₹6,102 crore was approved, raising the total to ₹42,102 crore.

The scheme provides direct monthly cash support to women aged 21–65 from families earning under ₹2.5 lakh annually, excluding government employees and income-tax payers. It is one of India’s largest unconditional cash transfer programmes.

Earlier disclosures had highlighted irregularities, including payments to government employees, men, and other ineligible beneficiaries, leading to wrongful disbursals of at least ₹164 crore. A statewide e-KYC and physical verification drive was launched, and the final beneficiary count will be known after verification ends on March 31. Officials say the budget can still be adjusted later through supplementary demands if required.

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