Devendra Fadnavis Reviews Ladki Bahin Yojna After Taking Office as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister

Shortly after becoming Maharashtra’s new Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis announced plans to review the popular Ladki Bahin Yojna scheme.

Fadnavis explained that the government will carefully check the list of beneficiaries to ensure only eligible individuals receive the benefits. He said, “There have been complaints about ineligible beneficiaries, so we need to verify. However, the scheme will not be scrapped. It will be reviewed like the PM Kisan Yojana, where ineligible people gave up their benefits voluntarily.”

He also confirmed that the monthly cash benefit, currently ₹1,500 per woman, will be increased to ₹2,100 as promised in their manifesto. The hike will begin in the next financial year.

The Ladki Bahin Yojna currently supports over 24.3 million beneficiaries, costing the state ₹3,700 crore each month.

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde reassured beneficiaries during a separate press conference. He said the December installment would be transferred to their accounts on time. “The scheme is crucial to our success and will continue,” he said. Notably, the November installment was paid in October before the election code of conduct came into effect.

Other Announcements

Fadnavis also addressed the Congress party’s demand for a caste-based survey. He said his government supports the idea but emphasized the need for transparency and fairness to protect smaller OBC groups.

On the issue of granting Opposition Leader status in the Assembly to parties with less than 10% of seats, Fadnavis said the decision would rest with the Speaker. He pointed out that even in the Lok Sabha, the largest opposition party was given proper protocol and powers during a similar situation.

Lastly, Fadnavis called for a return to civility in Maharashtra’s political culture. “I urge all parties to work together to bring back the respectful discourse for which our state was once known,” he said.