Wait for verified Ladki Bahin figures, says Tatkare

Controversy broke out last week, when a report from the state information and technology department revealed that 26.34 lakh individuals who had been receiving the ₹1,500 monthly payout were not eligible for the direct cash benefit

MUMBAI: State women and child development minister Aditi Tatkare is scrambling to contain the damage caused by a government report, which revealed that 26.34 lakh individuals enrolled under the flagship Ladki Bahin Yojana were ineligible for the scheme’s monthly payout.

Wait for verified Ladki Bahin figures, says Tatkare

Tatkare told the media after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday that her department, which implements the scheme, would get details of these beneficiaries cross-verified before confirming exactly how many were ineligible. “After verification from the district collectors’ office, some of these 26.34 lakh beneficiaries may turn eligible,” the minister said.

She went on to say, “We have started scrutiny to ensure the Ladki Bahin scheme is not misused. The women and child development department has also sought reports from the income tax department, transport department and food and civil supplies department on the 26.34 lakh beneficiaries in question. Only after we receive these reports will we be able to assess the actual number of ineligible beneficiaries.”

Tatkare added that payments to these 26.34 lakh individuals had been stopped, and about 2.25 crore beneficiaries were eligible as of now.

Controversy broke out last week, when a report from the state information and technology department revealed that 26.34 lakh individuals who had been receiving the ₹1,500 monthly payout were not eligible for the direct cash benefit.

The report also revealed that 14,298 men had enrolled under the scheme, meant exclusively for women from lower socio-economic groups. They had been receiving the direct cash benefit for ten months.

Tatkare, in damage-control mode said on Tuesday, “During the verification process, administrative officials will check the 14,298 male beneficiaries. Some of these men probably enrolled under the scheme and uploaded their own identity documents as their wives did not have bank accounts. We are cross-checking, which is a very important step,” the minister said.

Last week’s report on ineligible beneficiaries revealed another damaging detail – that women class three and four government employees too had been receiving the monthly payout. State chief secretary Rajesh Kumar has since directed all government departments to recover the money from these employees and also take disciplinary action against them.

Meanwhile, NCP (SP) MP Supritya Sule slammed the Mahayuti government, saying that the 26.34 lakh ineligible beneficiaries under the Ladki Bahin Yojana, which earned the Mahayuti alliance critical electoral gains last year, entailed a “fraud” of ₹4,800 crore. She also demanded an investigation, saying it was a colossal waste of taxpayers’ money.

Responding to Sule, Tatkare said the opposition’s allegation is based on media reports. Details of the ineligible beneficiaries are being verified, said Tatkare.