The Maharashtra government will officially introduce the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’, a new initiative aimed at providing ₹1,500 per month to over one crore women across the state on Saturday, August 17. This program is modeled after Madhya Pradesh’s ‘Ladli Behna Yojana’.
Scheme Details and Duration
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has emphasized that this scheme is intended to be a permanent measure, not a temporary initiative. He linked the launch of the scheme to the Raksha Bandhan festival, promising to protect women’s interests through this financial aid program.
Registration Process
To apply for the scheme, eligible women can use the app Nari Shakti Dhoot for online registration. For those who cannot apply online, local officials such as anganwadi workers and gram sevaks are available to assist with the application process. There is no fee to apply.
Eligibility Criteria
The scheme is available to women who are permanent residents of Maharashtra, aged between 21 and 65 years. It targets financially disadvantaged individuals, specifically those with a household income of less than ₹2.5 lakh per year. Applicants are encouraged to link their Aadhar cards to their bank accounts to ensure smooth verification and timely receipt of funds.
Benefits and Costs
The program will officially start on August 17 but considers July as its initial month. As part of a preliminary rollout, over 3 million eligible women have already received ₹3,000 in their bank accounts. The scheme will provide ₹1,500 per month to eligible women, with an anticipated annual cost of ₹46,000 crore to the state budget.
Official Statements
Addressing the media on August 16, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated, “I only want to say that we will not only give them ₹1,500, we will make them independent, we will make them self-reliant. Under the vision of PM Narendra Modi to make women more self-reliant, self-independent and self-respected, we will provide them more financial assistance through various schemes of the government.”