Mumbai, June 2: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified on Tuesday that no eligible woman will be denied benefits under the ‘Mazi Ladki Bahin’ scheme. He stated that funds previously disbursed to ineligible beneficiaries will not be reclaimed. However, strict action will be taken against men who improperly benefit from the scheme.
Speaking to reporters after a weekly cabinet meeting, Fadnavis revealed that significant irregularities were discovered during recent KYC (Know Your Customer) verifications and comparisons with various government databases.
He explained that the application process was initially based on self-certification to give women ample time to gather necessary documents. Subsequently, the government matched beneficiary information against several official records, including the income tax department, government employee salary portals, vehicle registration records, and ration card databases.
According to the Chief Minister, the investigation found that over 500,000 women receiving benefits were employed in government services. Additionally, nearly 1 million beneficiaries were found to have annual incomes exceeding the threshold of 250,000 rupees. Alarmingly, about 14,000 men were found to be availing benefits intended for women.
Fadnavis noted that despite repeated reminders over the past nine months, millions of beneficiaries failed to complete the mandatory KYC process. He indicated that those who did not undergo KYC likely did not meet the eligibility criteria. Consequently, the distribution of benefits to such accounts will be halted immediately.
However, the state government has decided, from a humanitarian perspective, not to reclaim funds already distributed to ineligible women. In contrast, the full amount will be recovered from the 14,000 men who misused the scheme.
“The recovery of every single rupee from these men will be enforced,” Fadnavis stated.
Currently, 17 million eligible women have successfully completed the KYC process and will continue to receive monthly financial assistance.
The Chief Minister assured that no eligible ‘Ladki Bahin’ has been excluded from the scheme. Only those who do not meet the specified eligibility criteria or have not completed the mandatory e-KYC process have been denied benefits.
He explained that approximately 8 million women’s names were removed because they either did not meet the eligibility criteria or failed to complete the KYC process.
Fadnavis also assured that if any woman believes she is eligible but is not receiving benefits, the government will consider reopening the KYC process for her.
He reminded that clear income and age-related criteria were established at the scheme’s inception. Individuals in government jobs or owning four-wheeled vehicles were not eligible for benefits.
Fadnavis stated that had a thorough verification of all applications been conducted initially, the implementation of the scheme could have been delayed by one to one and a half years. This is why benefits were distributed first, followed by the verification process.
He emphasized that this funding belongs to the public and is audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). Therefore, it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that the benefits reach only eligible individuals. This was the purpose of the KYC verification campaign, which was available for eight months.
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