The "Ladki Behen" scheme is currently creating a buzz in Maharashtra, particularly among women. Announced by Finance Minister Ajit Pawar during this year's budget, the scheme offers eligible women a monthly payout of ₹1,500. Over 15 million women have registered, with funds being deposited into their accounts since August 2024. However, the scheme has faced significant opposition-led smear campaigns.
Fearing that the scheme's popularity might benefit the ruling coalition in the upcoming elections, opponents began heavily criticising it. Initially, they dismissed it as a gimmick, but women across Maharashtra continued to sign up in large numbers, brushing aside the criticism. As trust in the scheme became evident, critics shifted their narrative, raising concerns about the state's financial stability, accusing the government of taking loans every week to fund the scheme.
Ajit Pawar refuted these claims, stating that the budget had set aside ₹46,000 crore for the initiative. The opposition, in a bid to discredit the scheme, also spread rumours about contractors not being paid and the impact on state development. However, these attacks failed to diminish the scheme's popularity.
Next, moral arguments surfaced, accusing the government of "buying" women's votes with the ₹1,500 payments. Videos were circulated on social media, portraying women asking for cheaper LPG cylinders instead of the money. Yet, as funds began to be deposited into accounts, women's trust in the government grew stronger.
In a more technical approach, the opposition manipulated the registration process. Some set up their own camps with personal banners, while others deliberately filled out forms incorrectly, aiming to create obstacles for beneficiaries and tarnish the scheme's reputation. BJP MLA Ram Kadam raised these issues in the assembly, alleging that junk data was uploaded onto the scheme's portal to slow it down.
This prompted Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis to address the issue in a press conference, clarifying that opponents were using technology to undermine the initiative. In response, the government began accepting offline applications, ensuring women were not deprived of their benefits.
Despite numerous hurdles, over 15 million women successfully registered. After the first two installments were released, opponents changed tactics again, falsely warning women to withdraw their funds immediately, claiming the government would reclaim the money.
Senior leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi also propagated this fear. In response, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar reassured women that the money given was their rightful "gift" and would not be taken back, reaffirming the government's commitment to the scheme.
As elections draw closer, the opposition has intensified its efforts to derail the scheme. Fake news began circulating, suggesting a ₹5,500 bonus for registered women, even though no such announcement was made by the government. With the assembly elections scheduled for November 20 and the election commission's code of conduct in place, the opposition claimed that the scheme had been suspended.
However, Eknath Shinde clarified to the media that the scheme was not cancelled, but simply paused due to election regulations. He assured that after the elections, the money would continue to flow into beneficiaries' accounts. Recognising the timing of the elections, the Maha Yuti government preemptively issued advance payments to ensure women received their benefits even during the election period.
This move demonstrated the government's intent to continue the scheme without interruption, while the opposition threatened to end it if they were voted into power. Former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray went as far as to declare that if his party were elected, they would halt the scheme and imprison Maha Yuti leaders.