Maharashtra govt unlikely to scrutinise beneficiary list of Ladki Bahin scheme before local body polls

“Among the complaints received by the administration include two-times registration of beneficiaries, violation of income limit, four wheelers and migration of beneficiaries. The scrutiny involves the help of other departments such as Income Tax, Transport and Agriculture. The information has to be sought from them and when we get that, we can move ahead. It is going to be a long-drawn process,” the official said.

He said that the scrutiny of the entire list is unlikely before the local body polls in the state. According to the estimate, a thorough scrutiny would lead to deletion of at least 40 lakh beneficiaries out of existing 2.4 crore. The ruling Mahayuti is unlikely to appreciate the political backlash ahead of local body polls if this done.

One of the reasons cited by the ruling Mahayuti for its mammoth victory in the recently held Assembly polls was the successful implementation of the ambitious scheme whereby Rs 1,500 were directly transferred to the bank accounts of women below poverty line

Post electoral victory in Maharashtra, the scheme has landed into controversy after the announcements of cross-verification of beneficiaries and possibility of deleting several from the list. As a part of the pre-poll promise, the ruling alliance had announced to raise the amount to Rs 2,100 per month.

Not only that the re-verification of 2.4 crore beneficiaries has given ammunition to the opposition. Statements have come from those within the state cabinet raising questions over the Rs 46,000 crore annual expenditure on one scheme alone.

Deputy CM and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar has already said that money once disbursed under this scheme won’t be recovered even if from any of the beneficiaries. “Last time, we had limited time for the verification of documents of potential beneficiaries. We wanted to link Aadhar of every beneficiary to the scheme but could not do so. However, there will be no recovery of the given money,” Pawar said.