Ladki Bahin Yojana affecting govt's farm loan waiver plans, says Maharashtra Minister

Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate has said the Ladki Bahin Yojana is creating a burden on the state coffers affecting its ability to implement the farm loan waiver scheme reported news agency PTIThe Ladki Bahin Yojana scheme launched by the previous Eknath Shindeled government in August last year to provide a monthly allowance of Rs 1500 to eligible women is likely to cost the state around Rs 46000 crore annuallyThe scheme is said to have played a key role in the ruling Mahayutis win in the state assembly elections held in November 2024Speaking to reporters in Pune on Sunday Kokate said the financial strain caused by the Ladki Bahin Yojana has disrupted the states ability to form a surplus that would otherwise be allocated for waiving the loans of farmersThe burden created by the Ladki Bahin Yojana scheme has affected our ability to set aside funds for the farm loan waiver We are reviewing the financial situation and once the states income increases we will move forward with the loan waiver scheme in the next four to six months the NCP leader said reported PTIThe state cooperation department is responsible for implementing the loan waiver decision which will ultimately be made by the chief minister and deputy CMs he saidMaharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare last week said the state government has decided to act on complaints about bogus beneficiaries of the Ladki Bahin Yojana and sought information from the income tax and transport departments for their verificationShe also made it clear that the government would only address complaints pertaining to the bogus beneficiariesTatkare who previously managed the Women and Child Welfare Department and oversaw the schemersquos rollout called the reports baseless Speaking to a regional news channel she said ldquoThere is no question of rescrutinising the applications of beneficiaries under this scheme Around 234 crore women are receiving benefits and all applications underwent thorough review before benefits were disbursed Any news suggesting otherwise is incorrectrdquoThe Ladki Bahin scheme provides a monthly financial aid of Rs 1500 to eligible women with Mahayuti leaders pledging during the election campaign to increase this amount to Rs 2100 While the scheme has been largely successful Tatkare acknowledged the presence of complaints about certain women fraudulently availing fundsIt will be the prerogative of the Women and Child Development WCD department to investigate these complaints and take appropriate action However I want to emphasise that no decision has been made to review or rescrutinise the applications comprehensively the NCP MLA addedWith inputs from PTI