Maharashtra’s Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare confirmed on Monday that nearly 15 lakh ineligible applicants were identified in the Ladli Behna Yojana through a statewide verification drive, dismissing reports of mass deletions of eligible beneficiaries.
The clarification follows claims that the Devendra Fadnavis-led government had removed over 90 lakh women from the scheme, which provides Rs 1,500 monthly to eligible beneficiaries. Tatkare emphasized that the exercise aimed to streamline welfare delivery via mandatory e-KYC verification, ensuring no deserving woman was excluded.
Verification process and eligibility criteria
The e-KYC process, launched in August 2025 with extended deadlines until December 31, identified ineligible applicants based on income tax payments or vehicle ownership. Around 8 lakh women are yet to complete their e-KYC, while 14-15 lakh applicants were flagged for tax-paying family members and 4.5-5 lakh for vehicle ownership.
Tatkare refuted reports of 28 lakh disqualifications in Beed district, noting the district’s total registrations were only 6.5 lakh, with 4-4.5 lakh already receiving benefits. The state initially received 2.63 crore registrations, with eligible beneficiaries now estimated at 1.67-1.70 crore after cross-verifying data from the Income Tax Department, RTOs, and e-KYC records.
Fund recovery and future steps
The government has begun recovering funds from ineligible beneficiaries, including government employees and men who misused women’s identities. Complaints from women facing issues despite completing e-KYC are being addressed individually.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav transferred Rs 1,835 crore as the 38th instalment to over 1.25 crore beneficiaries, reaffirming the scheme’s role in women’s empowerment. The verification process, now streamlined, ensures uninterrupted benefits for eligible recipients.
