Rs 344.62 crore sent to Women and Child Development Department for September Ladki Bahin instalment

Key information has emerged on the September instalment of the Chief Minister Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana. Under the scheme, eligible women receive financial assistance of Rs 1,500 every month. Women had been waiting to know when the September instalment would reach their accounts. There is now a major update.

The Social Justice and Special Assistance Department has sent Rs 344.62 crore to the Women and Child Development Department for disbursing the September instalment. Once the funds are with the Women and Child Development Department, Rs 1,500 will be credited to the accounts of eligible beneficiaries in phases. The entire process is said to be completed in the next few days, after which women will receive the instalment.

The government's process of distributing the funds is now moving quickly. The expectation is therefore that the money will reach women's bank accounts soon. Since the government has already sent the money for the September instalment, it could be credited directly to the beneficiaries' bank accounts at any time.

The scheme was launched by the Mahayuti government in July 2024. Initially, about 2.47 crore women beneficiaries were registered. The state government later made e-KYC mandatory to bring transparency and ensure compliance with the rules.

During this verification drive, many women did not complete e-KYC. Some women turned 65, so their names were removed from the list of beneficiaries. Women whose family annual income exceeds Rs 2.5 lakh, who have a four-wheeler in their name, or who are in paid employment have also been excluded from the scheme.

For these various reasons, the number of eligible beneficiaries has now fallen to 1.66 crore. This has reduced the financial burden on the government to some extent.

The Opposition had repeatedly raised doubts about the ambitious scheme, which began under Eknath Shinde's leadership. Even so, speaking at a public event, Shinde had given women firm assurance that the scheme would never be discontinued. The government has also made clear that the scheme will continue for the empowerment and economic independence of women.