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Sarkari Yojana
RTI finds Maharashtra spent ₹9,605 crore on 9.2 million Ladki Bahin beneficiaries
✍️ livemint.com
🗓 22 Aug 2026, 02:34 PM
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An RTI filing shows that the Maharashtra government disbursed ₹9,605 crore under the Ladki Bahin Scheme to roughly 9.2 million people who were not eligible for the programme.
The Right to Information (RTI) request filed by a civic group has revealed that the Maharashtra state government allocated ₹9,605 crore to the Ladki Bahin Scheme for about 9.2 million beneficiaries who did not meet the eligibility criteria. The scheme, launched to provide financial assistance for the education and welfare of girl children, appears to have been implemented without adequate verification of applicants.
According to the RTI response, the bulk of the funds were transferred through state welfare departments and partner banks, but the data shows a large discrepancy between the intended target group and the actual recipients. The report lists 9.2 million names that were flagged as ineligible based on income thresholds, age limits, or lack of required documentation.
State officials have not yet commented on the findings, but the revelation is expected to prompt a review of the scheme’s monitoring mechanisms. Analysts suggest that tighter beneficiary verification and periodic audits could help prevent similar lapses in future welfare programmes.
The disclosure adds to growing concerns about financial leakages in large‑scale social schemes across India, highlighting the need for stronger transparency and accountability measures.
According to the RTI response, the bulk of the funds were transferred through state welfare departments and partner banks, but the data shows a large discrepancy between the intended target group and the actual recipients. The report lists 9.2 million names that were flagged as ineligible based on income thresholds, age limits, or lack of required documentation.
State officials have not yet commented on the findings, but the revelation is expected to prompt a review of the scheme’s monitoring mechanisms. Analysts suggest that tighter beneficiary verification and periodic audits could help prevent similar lapses in future welfare programmes.
The disclosure adds to growing concerns about financial leakages in large‑scale social schemes across India, highlighting the need for stronger transparency and accountability measures.