Massive Response to Mira-Bhayandar’s Women’s Financial Aid Scheme

Mira-Bhayandar has witnessed a substantial response to the newly introduced Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, with over 56,000 women applying for the scheme since its launch on July 1.

This initiative, aimed at providing financial support to women, offers a monthly stipend of ₹1,500 to eligible women aged between 21 and 65 whose family income is below ₹2.5 lakh. The stipend is disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. According to data from the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC), a total of 56,243 applications have been received. As of Sunday at noon, 44,402 applications had been approved. In addition, 3,233 applications were provisionally approved, 1,855 were provisionally rejected, and 6,597 applications were still under scrutiny. A total of 156 applications have been outright rejected.

The surge in applications can be attributed to intensified efforts by local authorities, including directives from the committee led by a local legislator. This committee has urged officials to enhance their outreach and expedite the process, including issuing instructions to the tehsildar to provide income certificates within 24 hours. Applicants flagged with provisional rejections have been given the chance to rectify and resubmit their applications for further verification. Although the initial deadline for applications was set for August 31, sources suggest that the deadline might be extended to the end of November.

The civic administration is currently awaiting formal instructions regarding this extension. The Maharashtra government views this scheme as a potential game-changer ahead of the forthcoming state elections, expected in October-November. The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana draws inspiration from Madhya Pradesh’s successful Laadli Behna Yojana, reflecting a strategic move to bolster voter support and address women’s economic needs.