Pre-poll masterstroke, post-poll burden: Ladki Bahin scheme’s Maharashtra journey
The Maharashtra government has significantly reduced the number of beneficiaries for the 'Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana' welfare scheme, citing non-eligibility. Critics question the timing and lack of initial verification for the populist program, which was instrumental in the ruling coalition's recent election success.
Why it matters
It highlights the fiscal challenges and political trade-offs associated with populist welfare schemes in large democratic states.
Two years back, the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, then led by Eknath Shinde, announced the Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana with an eye on the crucial women's votes ahead of the Assembly polls. Under this scheme, eligible women beneficiaries will be entitled to Rs 1,500 every month, deposited directly into their bank accounts. The maths was clear: of the 9.5 crore voters in Maharashtra, women accounted for 4.6 crore. About 2.46 crore women in the 21-65 years age group – more than 50 per cent of the total women voters – were eligible for the Ladki Bahin Yojana. Purse strings were loosened, and the NDA alliance reaped the dividends in the state polls, scoring a thumping victory against the Maha Vikas Aghadi, months after the Mahayuti setback in the Lok Sabha election. But populism comes with a price. At the time, the Mahayuti government was willing to overlook the bill.
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