Maharashtra's Ladki Bahin Yojana Faces Major e-KYC Hurdle

The Maharashtra government's Ladki Bahin Yojana has hit a roadblock, with 68 lakh accounts closed after beneficiaries failed to complete the mandatory e-KYC process. Originally set to end on March 31, the deadline has been extended to April 30 as officials work to resolve the issue.

The flagship scheme, designed to help financially weaker women with a monthly Rs 1,500 allowance, saw its active accounts reduce from 2.43 crore to roughly 1.75 crore. This change is expected to alter the scheme's monthly disbursement, previously pegged at Rs 3,700 crore.

Verification checks revealed over 24 lakh accounts mistakenly labeled as government employees due to a questionnaire error. With adjustments, around 20 lakh accounts were validated, while others remain under review. Despite financial recalibrations, the state's leadership assures the scheme's continuity.