It has been hardly a week since the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra announced its "Majhi Ladki Bahin" (My Beloved Sister) scheme, and complaints of corruption have already started pouring in.
This ambitious scheme, announced in the current budget, aims to attract women voters in the upcoming assembly polls.
Such a scheme was originally started last year by Shivaraj Singh Chouhan, who was then the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. In MP, it was called the "Ladli Behna" scheme.
According to the scheme, the government promised to pay a fixed amount to every eligible woman from poor families. Political analysts believe that the scheme played a crucial role in the BJP's return to power in Madhya Pradesh in 2023.
Taking inspiration from his former counterpart in the neighboring state, Eknath Shinde has introduced a similar scheme in Maharashtra.
Last week, state finance minister Ajit Pawar, while delivering the budget speech, announced the features of the scheme.
Every woman between the ages of 21 and 65 years will receive an amount of Rs 1,500 per month along with three LPG cylinders every year. The beneficiary must submit an income certificate indicating that she belongs to a poor family.
Immediately after the budget announcement, large queues of women were seen outside government offices to register their names and obtain income certificates.
Soon after, complaints of corruption began to surface.
It was alleged that government officials were demanding amounts of Rs 30 to 50 per applicant.
Some women recorded the exchange of money using hidden cameras.
In a viral video, one officer from Akola was seen pocketing currency notes extorted from the applicants.
The officer is now suspended, and an embarrassed Shinde has warned that any government personnel found taking bribes will be jailed.
The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has opposed the scheme, claiming it was announced to deceive the people and will not sustain beyond the Vidhan Sabha elections.
Concerns have also been raised over the financial burden on the state exchequer, which is already in a dismal state.
Although Maharashtra tops the list in terms of foreign direct investments, it has a debt burden of 7.82 lakh crore, the highest after Tamil Nadu among all states in India.
The Shinde government is hopeful that "Majhi Ladki" will prove to be a masterstroke; however, political pundits believe it has the potential to backfire if there are discrepancies in the distribution of funds.
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