01 June,2025 05:31 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
Ajit Pawar addresses an event in Pune, on Sunday. Pic/X
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister (CM) Ajit Pawar, on Sunday, acknowledged the challenges surrounding the state's flagship 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' and admitted "mistakes" in its enrolment process, reported news agency PTI. The scheme, launched with the aim of providing monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to women from economically weaker backgrounds, has come under scrutiny after some ineligible beneficiaries received the amount. However, Pawar said no money will be recovered from those who were wrongly enrolled.
"We had limited time when this scheme was introduced, and elections soon followed, leaving us with insufficient time for a thorough inspection," Pawar told reporters in Pune on Sunday.
He also said that despite these shortcomings, the government had appealed for only eligible women to apply.
"When this scheme was launched, we didn't have much time. Elections came up immediately, so there wasn't enough time to conduct inspections. We had already appealed that only those truly eligible must apply," admitted the Deputy CM.
Pawar's remarks come amid reports of irregularities in the scheme, with the Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government set to recover Rs 3.58 crore from 2,652 government employees who availed themselves of the benefits despite being ineligible. This has added a layer of controversy ahead of the state elections in 2024.
Meanwhile, speaking on the issue of arms licences issued in Pune district, Pawar said, "I will take information on this from the Pune Police. The police have the right to issue and cancel licences. We will check if the people holding these licences actually need them."
Reports have emerged claiming that 659 licences were issued between 2021 and 2023 in the city, raising concerns over whether they were granted to those who genuinely require them.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday said that the seven Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislators in Nagaland joined the ruling party there due to "unease over their work not getting done".
A day earlier, all the seven NCP Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) joined the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, taking the tally of the ruling party from 25 to 32 in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly.
NCP had emerged as the third-largest party in the state in the 2023 assembly elections in Nagaland, after the NDPP and its ally BJP, which won 12 seats.
After the split in NCP in July 2023 following Pawar joining the then Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra, these seven MLAs had preferred to side with the Deputy CM instead of party founder Sharad Pawar.
Replying to a media query on the development in Nagaland, the Deputy CM said, "Two months ago, all the MLAs had met me and complained about their work not getting done there (Nagaland). There was unrest, that is true. These MLAs were feeling uneasy."
The seven MLAs are Namri Nchang of Tening, Picto Shohe of Atoizu, Y Mhonbemo Humtsoe of Wokha Town, Y Mankhao Konyak of Mon Town, A Pongshi Phom of Longleng, P Longon of Noklak and S Toiho Yeptho of Suruhoto.
(With PTI inputs)
