Recent scrutiny of beneficiaries enrolled in the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme in Maharashtra has revealed that a significant number of government employees were fraudulently availing its benefits, prompting action to rectify the situation. The Ladki Bahin scheme, launched with considerable fanfare ahead of the previous year's Assembly elections, aims to provide financial assistance of ₹1,500 per month to eligible women from economically weaker sections of society.

However, a thorough verification process initiated by the Maharashtra Women and Child Development Department has brought to light that 2,289 state government women employees had illicitly registered for and received benefits under the scheme, despite being ineligible according to its clearly defined rules. The total amount of funds misused is estimated to be around ₹3.58 crore. These employees are reported to have each received ₹13,500 between August 2024 and April 2025.

The department's investigation involved sharing data of approximately 2 lakh government employees with the IT department, which then cross-verified the information using UID (Unique Identification) data. This process exposed the irregularities, highlighting a concerning breach of the scheme's intended purpose. It remains to be seen whether the state government will take steps to recover the misappropriated funds from the employees involved.

Women and Child Development Minister Aaditi Tatkare addressed the issue via social media, clarifying that the detection of these ineligible beneficiaries was not a recent event and that the distribution of further installments to them had already been stopped. She emphasized that beneficiary verification is a standard and ongoing component of scheme implementation. According to her statement, no further benefits have been disbursed to these individuals since January–February of this year.

Meanwhile, in Madhya Pradesh, a similar scheme known as the Ladli Behna Yojana has also faced challenges. While not directly related to the issue of government employees, the Madhya Pradesh government has had to manage the scheme's finances carefully. Recent reports indicate that the release date of the 24th installment of the Ladli Behna Yojana was shifted from the 10th to between the 10th and 15th of May 2025 due to financial planning considerations. The scheme requires over ₹1,500 crore every month to operate, and the state government relies on central tax funds from the Union Budget to support these expenses.

The Ladli Behna Yojana, launched in May 2023, aims to provide financial support to women in Madhya Pradesh. An amount of ₹1,000/- per month is paid to each eligible woman in her own Aadhaar linked DBT enabled bank account. The scheme is not for women with taxable income or who are part of a government job family.

These instances highlight the importance of robust verification processes and stringent oversight in government schemes to prevent misuse and ensure that benefits reach the intended recipients.