EVENasa verificationcampaign to stop ineligible women from availing thebenefitsoftheLadki Bahin Yojana is yet to be completed,nearly4,000womenfrom across Maharashtra have relinquished the scheme. The women have also started returning the benefit to the respective district administration, Women and Child Welfare Minister Aditi Tatkare said on SaturdayonthesidelinesofNCP’s two-day‘SankalpShibir’atShirdi. “Some women, who have already got the monthly benefit for June to December under Ladki Bahin Yojana, have started returning the benefits. Some applications were received last month. The administration is getting more applications this monthaswell.Realisingthatthey are not eligible for this scheme, some women are rejecting the benefits of the scheme by filling the applications. Therefore, this proves that our beloved sisters are also honest,” said Aditi Tatkare.

 

Her announcement comestwodaysaftershesaidthat the Government approved the disbursement of Rs 3,690 crore to provide the monthly aid of Rs 1,500 to 2.46 crore beneficiaries under the Ladki Bahin Yojana before Republic Day. “So far, 4,000 women beneficiaries have returned the financial aid they received under the Ladki Bahin Yojana. However, this figure is an estimate. About 100-150 applications were receivedinDecember.Morewere being received in January. The moneyreturnedbythesewomen will be deposited back into the Governmenttreasury. For this, a separaterefundheadwillbecreated and that fund will be used forpublicwelfare,” saidthe minister.

 

The Department sources said that the women have been coming forward seeking to discontinue thebenefit,fearing themoney will be recovered alongwith a penalty if found ineligible during the ongoing verification exercise. The minister explained, “Except for women beneficiaries holding yellow and orangeration cards, the applications of otherwomenwillbescrutinised. Help from the Transport andIncomeTaxdepartmentsisbeingtaken. Therefore, this will be acontinuous process. As a result, the number of women withdrawing their applications maychange continuously.” The Mahayuti Government launched the MukhyaMantri Majhi LadkiBahinYojana in Julylast year. Nearly 2.46 crorewomen became eligible for themonthly aid of Rs 1,500. During the implementation, the Government realised thatsome ineligible women alsoreceivedthebenefit.Inthewakeof complaints received in various districts, the Government subsequently launched the verification of the applications.