The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has cleared the way for the Maharashtra government to verify eligibility for the Ladli Behna Yojana by sharing income tax data of women beneficiaries. This decision, requested by the state government six months ago, will enable the Women and Child Development Department to identify and exclude women who are taxpayers from the scheme’s benefits.

The Ladli Behna Yojana provides financial aid to women from economically weaker sections, offering eligible beneficiaries up to Rs 1,500 per month to promote empowerment among low- and middle-income groups.

Moving forward, now the state government will likely issue a circular soon, reviewing eligibility and informing women who are excluded from the scheme, particularly those identified as taxpayers.

Review And Reforms In Ladli Behna Yojana

In January 2025, the Maharashtra government initiated a basic review of the Ladli Behna Yojana. During this phase, the structural framework of the scheme was assessed, and efforts were made to identify eligible women who were already receiving overlapping benefits under other welfare schemes. As per Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare, approximately 20 lakh beneficiaries were expected to be excluded from the scheme.

In April 2025, the state government implemented a significant adjustment, targeting beneficiaries who were receiving aid under other schemes. Specifically, the monthly assistance for around 8 lakh (800,000) women was reduced from Rs 1,500 to Rs 500, since they were already availing Rs 1,000 per month from initiatives like the ‘Namo Shetkari Mahasamman Nidhi’.

During May–June 2025, further scrutiny was conducted to identify ineligible recipients, particularly government employees. Out of 2 lakh applications reviewed, 2,289 government employees were found to be wrongfully availing the scheme’s benefits and were subsequently removed. Later, the number of such beneficiaries increased to 2,652, from whom a recovery of Rs 3.58 crore was initiated.

These reforms reflect the Maharashtra government’s enhanced use of technical resources to ensure that welfare benefits are reserved for the genuinely needy. The measures are expected to reduce the financial burden on the state and curb the misuse of public funds.