The perks and costs of ‘Ladki Bahin’

The scheme, which began as a political imperative in light of the ruling alliance’s poor performance in Lok Sabha polls, is turning into a financial albatross.

For farm worker Vaishali Khakare at Sillod in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, formerly Aurangabad, the Ladki Bahin Scheme has changed her standing within her joint family. She uses the ₹1,500 per month that she gets from the state to send her son for Class 12 coaching. “He is a bright student who passed his Class 10 Board exam with 82% and aspires to study BSc-Agriculture. The Ladki Bahin instalments have not only helped me fund his coaching but also pay

Then Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde during the launch of the ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’ last year. (Mahendra Kolhe/ HT Photo)