The state says the verification exercise was aimed at removing ineligible beneficiaries, while the Opposition has questioned the timing and transparency of the move
The Maharashtra government has removed around 92 lakh beneficiaries from its flagship Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana following a statewide e-KYC verification drive, triggering a political confrontation between the ruling alliance and the Opposition.
Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare said the verification exercise was undertaken to identify ineligible beneficiaries, including income taxpayers, government employees and those who no longer met the scheme’s eligibility criteria. She said the move was intended to ensure that financial assistance reaches only deserving women.
According to the minister, around 2.63 crore people had initially registered for the scheme, of whom approximately 2.47 crore women received the monthly financial assistance. Following the verification process, the number of beneficiaries has reduced to around 1.67-1.70 crore.
The government said nearly 62 lakh beneficiaries were removed after failing to complete the mandatory e-KYC process despite multiple extensions. Another 16 lakh were found to have annual family incomes exceeding the prescribed limit of Rs 2.5 lakh, while around 4.42 lakh beneficiaries were declared ineligible because a family member was employed in government service. Authorities also identified registrations made by men and other ineligible applicants.
The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, launched in June 2024, provides eligible women between the ages of 21 and 65 with a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The e-KYC verification process began in August 2025 and continued over several months.
The Opposition has strongly criticised the exercise, alleging irregularities in the implementation of the scheme. Opposition leaders questioned why beneficiaries who were later declared ineligible had continued receiving financial assistance for several months and accused the government of using the welfare scheme for electoral gains before tightening eligibility norms.
The state government has rejected the allegations, maintaining that the verification process was necessary to eliminate fraudulent and ineligible claims while safeguarding public funds. Officials said complaints from beneficiaries who completed e-KYC but have not received payments are also being examined.
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