The Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana (My Dear Sister Scheme) by the Maharashtra government is now under scrutiny due to a rising number of ineligible beneficiaries. Under this welfare scheme, women from economically weaker sections receive ₹1,500 every month directly into their bank accounts.
Even Government Employees Were Receiving Benefits
Recently, reports surfaced that even women working in government jobs were availing benefits under this scheme. This sparked a controversy, as the scheme clearly states that only women between the ages of 21 to 65 years with an annual family income less than ₹2.5 lakh are eligible.
What Step Has the Government Taken Now?
To curb this misuse, the Maharashtra government has decided to use Income Tax Return (ITR) data to verify the eligibility of beneficiaries. As per a report by The Economic Times, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) issued a notification on June 3, 2025, granting the state’s Women and Child Development Department official access to ITR data.
Now ITR Will Decide Who Gets the Benefits
This step will help authorities identify genuine beneficiaries and remove the ineligible ones. Importantly, the government clarified that it would not recover the funds from those who already received benefits wrongly — however, their names will be removed from future beneficiary lists.
9 Lakh Women Already Removed from the List
As of December 2024, around 2.46 crore women were getting funds through this scheme. However, after the first round of scrutiny, this number has dropped to 2.37 crore. Nearly 9 lakh women have already been removed, and sources suggest that up to 40 lakh more could be delisted soon.
Minister Aditi Tatkare’s Revelation
State Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare recently revealed that over 2,000 women government employees were wrongly availing scheme benefits. This admission triggered the government’s urgent action to tighten the selection process.
Stricter Selection Now Using Tax Data
With access to ITR data, the selection process for the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana will become more transparent and foolproof. This ensures that only genuinely needy women will receive financial aid under the scheme moving forward.
PM Modi ka Pakistan ke young logo ko khula sandesh