Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Monday that 80 lakh beneficiaries of the Mukhya Mantri Laadki Bahin Yojana have been dropped from the scheme after a thorough scrutiny of documents. Speaking to a media channel, Fadnavis revealed that the verification process uncovered significant discrepancies, including 14,000 male beneficiaries, five lakh government employees, 10 lakh income tax payees, and four to five lakh individuals from households that owned a vehicle.
Self-certification led to ineligible beneficiaries
Fadnavis explained that when the scheme was launched, the state government had set specific eligibility criteria but allowed self-certification. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) later questioned the lack of scrutiny, prompting the government to mandate KYC (Know Your Customer) submission. KYC is a standard verification process used by businesses and financial institutions to confirm identity and assess risks, preventing identity theft, financial fraud, and fake accounts.
Many beneficiaries failed to complete KYC
The Chief Minister noted that despite repeated reminders, many beneficiaries have not submitted their KYC documents. “Obviously it is because they do not fit into one of the criteria,” he said. The government has corrected 25 lakh KYC documents that had discrepancies. Fadnavis urged those who have not yet submitted their KYC to do so, warning that continuing payments to ineligible individuals would force the CAG to demand recovery, which would be problematic. He announced a one-time waiver for all ineligible beneficiaries who have already received money, except for men, from whom the amount will be recovered. “This is people’s money and it can only be spent according to rules,” he added.
Maharashtra has highest number of women beneficiaries
Fadnavis highlighted that Maharashtra has the largest number of women beneficiaries under this scheme in the country, now approximately 1.7 crore. He also identified climate change and its impact on the agrarian economy as a major challenge before him.
