The Maharashtra government has uncovered that at least 12,431 men were mistakenly granted benefits under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, a scheme exclusively meant for women. The flagship initiative offers Rs 1,500 per month to women aged 21 to 65 from families with an annual income below Rs 2.5 lakh.
According to data obtained by the Indian Express through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the women and child development (WCD) department confirmed that these men, along with 77,980 women later deemed ineligible, had been receiving monthly payments for up to 13 months. The combined wrongful disbursal is estimated at Rs 164.52 crore, including Rs 24.24 crore to male recipients and Rs 140.28 crore to ineligible women.
Officials said the irregularities surfaced during an extensive verification drive, which also led to the suspension of payments to 26.34 lakh suspect accounts in June and July this year. A senior state official described the findings as “just the tip of the iceberg”, adding that the figures could rise as the verification continues.
Launched in June 2024, just months before the Assembly elections, the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana has been one of the government’s largest welfare initiatives, covering 2.41 crore women at a cost of nearly Rs 3,700 crore per month. The scheme’s launch was accompanied by a publicity campaign worth Rs 199.81 crore.
The WCD department acknowledged in its RTI response that payments to the men were made between July 2024 and July 2025, before being halted. “Benefits to male beneficiaries were stopped from July 2025. No decision has yet been taken regarding recovery of funds,” the department stated.
It further revealed that 77,980 women were found ineligible based on government resolutions issued between June and July 2024, which defined income and other eligibility criteria. However, no recovery or penal action has been finalised.
The department also disclosed that around 2,400 government employees, including men, were among those who received undue benefits, with disciplinary proceedings initiated in several cases. These employees were identified across multiple departments — including Agriculture, Social Welfare, Tribal Development, Ayurveda, and Zilla Parishads.
Officials said the discrepancies largely stemmed from submission of false information and misrepresentation of income or assets. “In some cases, multiple members from the same household received benefits. Some beneficiaries were also availing other welfare schemes simultaneously,” a government source said.
WCD minister Aditi Tatkare had earlier acknowledged the issue in a social media post, stating that preliminary data indicated around 26 lakh potentially ineligible beneficiaries.
She assured that all cases were being physically verified by district authorities and that “appropriate action” would be taken against those found ineligible, under the supervision of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar.
To prevent future misuse, the government has launched a statewide e-KYC verification drive for all existing and new beneficiaries, which officials say will help streamline the process and ensure only eligible women receive benefits going forward.
With agency inputs
