03 June,2026 12:22 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Uddhav Thackeray. File Pic
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has launched a fresh attack on the ruling Mahayuti government over the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, alleging large-scale irregularities in the implementation of the welfare scheme and demanding a probe by a sitting High Court judge.
In an editorial published on Wednesday in its party mouthpiece Saamana, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party claimed that nearly 80 lakh women were found ineligible for benefits after an e-KYC verification exercise, raising serious questions about the screening and verification process followed by the government.
The editorial alleged that the ruling alliance introduced the Ladki Bahin scheme ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections and announced monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 to women beneficiaries across the state.
According to the Shiv Sena (UBT), the subsequent identification of a large number of allegedly ineligible beneficiaries suggests significant lapses in the implementation and verification process.
The party questioned how such a large number of beneficiaries could receive financial assistance before eligibility checks were completed.
The opposition party called for an independent investigation into the implementation of the scheme and sought a probe under the supervision of a sitting High Court judge.
It alleged that public funds were distributed without adequate scrutiny and claimed that accountability should be fixed on officials responsible for verifying beneficiary applications.
The editorial further demanded action against government functionaries who oversaw the scheme's implementation if any wrongdoing is established through an inquiry.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) cited government expenditure under the scheme and alleged that funds may have been transferred to beneficiaries who were later found to be ineligible.
The party argued that if irregularities are confirmed, responsibility should rest with those who designed and administered the programme rather than with women who received the benefits.
The editorial also criticised the timing of the eligibility verification exercise, arguing that such checks should have been completed before benefits were disbursed.
The party further linked the welfare scheme to the outcome of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, alleging that the programme influenced voter behaviour.
It claimed that the financial assistance scheme played a significant role in shaping electoral support for the ruling alliance and called for a closer examination of the matter by constitutional authorities.
The editorial also criticised the Election Commission, alleging that concerns regarding the scheme's implementation were not adequately addressed during the election period.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance has repeatedly defended the Ladki Bahin scheme, describing it as a welfare initiative aimed at providing financial support to women from economically weaker sections.
The latest allegations from the Shiv Sena (UBT) are expected to intensify the political confrontation between the opposition and the ruling alliance over one of Maharashtra's flagship welfare programmes.
The controversy comes amid ongoing debates over beneficiary verification, welfare spending and the long-term sustainability of large-scale social assistance schemes in the state.
(With inputs from IANS)
