PUNE: The Mahayuti authorities in Maharashtra on Saturday formally launched the formidable “Majhi Ladki Bahin” scheme for eligible girls, with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde hinting at doubling the month-to-month stipend from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 if the alliance is voted to energy in elections. Greater than 1 crore girls are anticipated to profit from this scheme whose launch coincided with Rakshabandhan festivities starting Monday.
The Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP authorities, going through a troublesome meeting polls battle in opposition to the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi in coming months, got here up with the “Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin” scheme, months after a debacle in Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. The scheme, modelled on the MP authorities’s “Ladli Behna Yojana”, gives month-to-month Rs 1,500 help to the married, divorced, and destitute girls within the 21-60 age group with Rs 2.5 lakh annual household revenue ceiling.
“If we obtain your help, we will handle to offer you greater than Rs 3,000,” Shinde stated on the launch occasion marked by the show of pyrotechnics on a specially-created ramp-cum-walk means at Shiv Chhatrapati Sports activities Advanced in Balewadi space of Pune. The scheme was launched by the CM and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, who belong to BJP and NCP, respectively on the glittering occasion attended by girls in giant numbers.
Notably, the opposition events from MVA, together with Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), have accused the state authorities of attempting to purchase girls’s votes and questioned the “paltry” allocation of Rs 1,500 per 30 days. “Should you give us the energy, the present quantity of Rs 1,500 will turn into Rs 2,000. If we obtain your help, we can provide you greater than Rs 3,000. They (MVA) are opposing this scheme, however Mahayti is standing with you,” Shinde informed the gathering of girls.
Mahayuti allies consider the potential goodwill created by the money switch initiative will enhance its ballot prospects in Maharashtra. “Ladies are so pleased with this scheme. Some vested pursuits tried to place a spanner within the scheme rollout, with a few of them approaching the court docket,” Shinde stated. Shinde hit again on the MVA for dubbing the Rs 1,500 allocation grossly insufficient. The opposition bloc had assured a rise within the month-to-month money switch help if voted to energy.
“The opposition won’t ever realise the worth of Rs 1,500. We’re not born with a golden spoon within the mouth. Maha Vikas Aghadi was in energy for two.5 years. Did they provide a single rupee to girls? Don’t be concerned, this scheme will proceed,” the chief minister added. Shinde, who turned chief minister with the BJP’s help in July 2022, additionally listed varied welfare initiatives rolled out by the Mahayuti authorities masking youth and different sections of society.
“We additionally launched a brand new scheme for ‘Ladka Bhau’ (beloved brothers),” he stated. The brand new scheme aimed toward job coaching and stipends for younger males, tentatively named the ‘Ladka Bhau’ Yojana, is a part of the ‘Mukhya Mantri Yuva Karya-Prashikshan Yojana.’ This scheme seeks to handle unemployment by providing on-the-job coaching with a month-to-month stipend to eligible candidates.
Shinde referred to MVA’s claims that the Mahayuti authorities would collapse, apparently as a consequence of inside bickering as Fadnavis was made to just accept the submit of Deputy CM. “The Opposition claimed that our authorities will collapse. Quite the opposite, our energy has gone up after Ajit Pawar joined us (in July 2023 by splitting NCP),” the chief minister added.
