Maharashtra goes the MP way ahead of assembly polls! Women aged between 21-60 yrs to get Rs 1,500 per month. Details here

Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy CM and Finance Minister, on Friday announced the 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin' scheme for women ahead of the assembly elections. Under this scheme, all women between 21 to 60 years of age in the state will get Rs 1,500 per month. This scheme will be implemented from July 2024, Pawar added.

"We are announcing Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin (CM My Beloved Sister). Under this, all women will be given Rs 1500 per month. Scheme will be implemented from July 2024," Pawar said in his budget speech. He furthermore said that an annual budgetary allocation of Rs 46,000 crore will be made for the scheme. 

Pro-women initiatives by Shinde govt

This, however, is not the first attempt by the Mahayuti government to help women financially. In March 2024, the state government unveiled a policy focused on eight objectives including health, education, ending gender-based violence, and encouraging political participation of women. 

In the 2023-24, the government also introduced the Lek Ladki scheme, meant for providing financial aid to families with girl child and prevent dropouts of girl children from schools. Budget 2023-24 also included a 50 per cent concession for women on state transport buses. 

Inspired by 'Laadli Behna' scheme?

The scheme announced by Ajit Pawar today seems to be inspired by the 'Laadli Behna' scheme in Madhya Pradesh. Implemented by former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the program was designed to foster economic independence of women throughout Madhya Pradesh. 

Initially, eligible recipients were received a monthly stipend of Rs 1,000 in this scheme. Later, the monthly allowance was hiked to Rs 1,250. Around 94 per cent of 'Laadli Behna' scheme's beneficiaries fall within 25-and-above age group. 

The scheme further lead to BJP's clean sweep in Madhya Pradesh in the Lok Sabha polls. The saffron party won all 29 seats in the northern state. For every 1 per cent increase in Laadli Behna beneficiaries, the BJP's success rate in elections went up by 0.36 per cent, according to a Special Research Report by the Economic Department of the State Bank of India (SBI). 

Other announcements in Maharashtra Budget

He also said that the Eknath Shinde-led state government will give 3 free cylinders to families comprising 5 members every year to all households under the CM Anna Chhatra Yojana.

The Deputy CM also announced a bonus of Rs 5,000 per hectare to farmers producing cotton and soybean in the state. He also said that the state government will continue to give Rs 5 per litre bonus to milk-producing farmers. 

He also said that around 44 lakh farmers in the state will be waived off electricity bill dues. 

Moreover, the government announced monetary help in cases of deaths due to animal attack. "Govt. has increased the monetary help in deaths due to animal attack, now the next of kins will get Rs 25 lakh instead of Rs 20 lakh earlier."