Sena (UBT) demands probe into Ladki Bahin after 80 lakh beneficiaries found ineligible
Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana' alleges the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana was hastily implemented ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls to influence voters.
Women enrol for the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana in Maharashtra.
(File Photo) The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday demanded an inquiry into the implementation of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana after the Maharashtra government said nearly 80 lakh beneficiaries had been found ineligible during a verification exercise.
In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, the party alleged that the scheme was used to influence voters ahead of the Assembly elections and claimed that large sums of public money were disbursed to ineligible beneficiaries.
Referring to the government’s recent scrutiny of beneficiaries, the editorial questioned why verification procedures were not completed before benefits were released. It alleged that the scheme was implemented in haste ahead of the elections and demanded accountability from those responsible for approving payments to ineligible beneficiaries.
The editorial also called for an independent inquiry into the implementation of the Ladki Bahin scheme and other welfare programmes. It alleged that the government was now using KYC verification and audits to identify ineligible beneficiaries after the elections, despite continuing the scheme for several months without completing scrutiny.
The criticism comes after the state government said around 80 lakh beneficiaries had been removed from the scheme following verification of age, income, vehicle ownership, government employment records, and other eligibility criteria. The government has maintained that the exercise is aimed at ensuring that benefits reach only eligible women and has denied allegations of wrongdoing.
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