AIDWA to march to Mantralaya on November 3 over Ladki Bahin dues, rations, water and wages

The Maharashtra state committee of the All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) will hold a statewide protest march to Mantralaya in Mumbai on Tuesday, November 3. According to an official statement, the march aims to get the stalled payments under the Chief Minister's Ladki Bahin scheme released. Demands for action on food security, water supply, health services and workers' wages will also be raised.

The protest will begin at 11 am at Azad Maidan, near the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh. The statement said senior leaders including Brinda Karat, the organisation's patron and former MP, P K Sreemathi, national president and former MP, and Mariam Dhawale, vice-president, will take part. The event is organised by the Maharashtra state committee. State president Naseema Shaikh and state general secretary Prachi Hatiwalekar have appealed to people to join the protest.

On the Ladki Bahin scheme, AIDWA wants the state government to release all pending payments and ensure eligible beneficiaries receive the monthly assistance regularly. The organisation demands that the e-KYC portal be reopened and that the facility to submit new applications be restarted. It has also demanded that payments be restored to eligible women who completed e-KYC but whose benefits were still stopped.

Another key demand is to raise the monthly assistance to Rs 2,100. AIDWA says the government had promised this amount before the 2024 Assembly elections. The organisation wants the amount now being paid increased to this level.

The organisation has also raised concerns over rations and food security. It demands that the Anand ka Rashan festival ration kits be distributed immediately and that the food security scheme be made applicable to all. AIDWA has also said the annual income eligibility limit for ration benefits should be raised to at least Rs 2.5 lakh. It has further demanded that the public distribution system supply 14 essential items, including pulses, cooking oil, tea and sugar, along with wheat and rice.

The issue of water shortage will also be raised at the protest. The organisation will demand that the Jal Jeevan Mission be completed and fully implemented to end water scarcity in various parts of the state. It has also demanded that the public health infrastructure be strengthened.

For workers, AIDWA wants the pending honorarium of mid-day meal staff to be released immediately and the promised pay increase to be given to them.