Maharashtra: No number of ST beneficiaries, funds given based on percentage in population

The department in its reply said, “The total percentage of Scheduled Tribe community in the total population is 9.35 per cent. The Women and Child Development department did not seek information of caste of the beneficiaries of Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme while filling the application form.”

The reply stated that the amount made available from the budget provisions is based on the percentage of the ST population in the total population.

In May, the state government sanctioned Rs 410.30 crore from the Scheduled Caste Sub plan and Rs 335.70 crore from Scheduled Tribe sub plan for the Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme.

A source from the Women and Child Development department said that no record of caste was collected while filling the application form for the scheme. “The scrutiny process of the scheme is still underway. We have also sought a response from the Income Tax Department about the number of beneficiaries who pay taxes. Once indentified, names of all those women whose family pay taxes will be deleted,” said the source.