Over 12,000 men were mistakenly granted benefits under the Maharashtra government’s flagship Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, which provides Rs 1,500 per month to women aged 21-65.

According to a report by Indian Express, at least 12,431 men received the payments before being removed from the list of beneficiaries following verification.

In response to Right to Information (RTI) queries, the Women and Child Development (WCD) Department, which administers the scheme, said that along with these men, 77,980 women were also identified as ineligible.

The RTI reply revealed that 12,431 men were wrongly disbursed Rs 1,500 per month for 13 months, amounting to Rs 24.24 crore. Meanwhile, the 77,980 ineligible women received Rs 140.28 crore over 12 months.

State officials said the irregularities were uncovered during a verification exercise. “Some beneficiaries were availing multiple government schemes at the same time. In several households, more than two members were receiving benefits. Thousands of government staffers were found taking benefits despite being ineligible. Some had annual incomes exceeding Rs 2.5 lakh,” an official told the newspaper.

Launched in June 2024, just months before the Assembly elections, the scheme has around 2.41 crore women beneficiaries, costing the state government nearly Rs 3,700 crore per month.

The WCD Department also disclosed that at least 2,400 government employees, including men, had availed undue benefits under the scheme, and disciplinary proceedings had been initiated against them.

However, the RTI response noted that no recovery or action has been taken yet for the wrongful disbursement.

“Under the scheme, an estimated 77,980 women beneficiaries have been declared ineligible. They were found ineligible based on government resolutions dated June 28, July 3 and July 12, 2024, which outlines the eligibility and ineligibility criteria. Action against these beneficiaries is yet to be decided at the state level,” the WCD stated in another response.