'Scrutiny Of 26 Lakh Suspected Bogus Beneficiaries Under Mazi Ladki Bahin Scheme,' Says Minister Aditi Tatkare

Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare on Thursday said that scrutiny of 26 lakh suspected bogus beneficiaries under the Mazi Ladki Bahin scheme is currently underway. The Information and Technology Department has flagged the irregularities, and nearly 35–40% of the verification work has been completed. The remaining 50–60% will be finished within the next 10 days, after which the Chief Minister and both Deputy Chief Ministers will take a final decision, she said.

Scheme Overview and Registrations

Providing details, Tatkare said the scheme was announced on June 28, 2024, and registrations began on July 1, 2024. By October, more than 2.63 crore women had registered for benefits. After initial scrutiny, around 2.47 crore applicants remained eligible.

Flagged Cases and Bank Account Issues

“The IT Department has now provided data indicating that around 26 lakh women may be ineligible. This includes cases where women might have submitted a family member’s bank account instead of their own. Hence, ground-level verification is essential before taking a final call,” Tatkare explained.

Cross-Verification With Other Departments

She also pointed out that the Women and Child Development Department had to obtain data from other departments such as Agriculture, Social Justice, and Food and Civil Supplies to cross-check applications. Data from the Namo Shetkari Yojana was integrated in December–January. Since women beneficiaries of that scheme already receive ₹1,000 per month, Mazi Ladki Bahin beneficiaries in that category were considered eligible only for an additional ₹500.

Recovery From Wrongful Beneficiaries

Tatkare further added that if any government employees have wrongly availed benefits, the money will be recovered and deposited back into the state treasury. The ongoing verification process is being carried out by Anganwadi workers and helpers.

Pending August Installment

Meanwhile, beneficiaries are awaiting clarity on the August installment of the scheme. So far, 13 monthly payments have been released under Mazi Ladki Bahin.