The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday announced to add more beneficiaries to the scheme’ Ladli Behna Yojna’. The government had previously also announced to reduce the minimum age limit for women to avail the benefits of the scheme.
At the time of launch of the scheme, the state government had fixed the minimum age criteria for the applicants between 23 to 60 years, however, after two month installments were released, the Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan last week announced to include the women completing 21 years from January this year. However, the applicants should be married to avail the benefit.
The government has that more than 1.25 crore women have received two installments of Rs. 1000 and the third installment would be released on August 10.
A total 1, 25, 33,145 applicants had applied to avail the benefit from the scheme out of which 20,3042 forms were rejected.
The government has estimated that with lowering the age limit for two years, around 45-50 lakh new beneficiaries are likely to be added.
As per the earlier estimate, the government is supposed to spend Rs. 10,166 crore for the first year (2023-2024), including the advertising expenses. In the current financial year – (2023- 2024), an amount of Rs. 8000 crore has already been allocated from the financial department.
As per the officials, it has been estimated that the scheme would cost around 62 lakh crore in five years.
“In the first year, around 150 crore is estimated to be spent on publicity and women sammelans, and this cost will be reduced from the next year. The extra cost would be estimated after the number of new beneficiaries will be added,” said an official in the state finance department.
Political observers believe that the BJP government has announced the scheme ahead of the assembly elections to woo 48 per cent women voters in the state and also to counter the anti-incumbency.
The opposition Congress on the other hand has also promised to provide the Rs. 1500 per month under ‘Nari Samman Yojana’ if it forms the government.
Meanwhile, the Congress on Tuesday also accused the BJP government of indulging in bargaining to get support in the elections.
“BJP has been in power for the last 18 years and they launched the ‘Ladli Behna Scheme’ just before the elections. The BJP is bargaining on everything to get back into power. CM Shivraj is announcing the schemes to wash away his sins of 18 years rule in Madhya Pradesh,” Kamal Nath said.
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