Pre-poll masterstroke, post-poll burden: Ladki Bahin scheme’s Maharashtra journey

The Maharashtra government recently struck off 92 lakh beneficiaries from the Ladki Bahin Yojana.

7 min readMumbaiJul 15, 2026 07:30 AM IST

First published on: Jul 15, 2026 at 07:30 AM IST

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.