Madhya Pradesh Ladli Behna payout delayed; disbursement soon, say officials

Bhopal: The BJP-led Madhya Pradesh govt has not yet released money under Ladli Behna Yojana this month. Usually, the money is transferred to beneficiary accounts on the 10th of every month. This is the first time that payout has been delayed.

Govt sources said it was due to “cash liquidity management” in the new fiscal, and Rs 1,250 each will be deposited in over 1.2 crore beneficiaries’ accounts around April 13. The state govt gets devolution from the Centre around the 10th of every month. And the Ladli money will be given only when this money comes in, sources said.

It’s the finance dept that releases money for the Ladli Behna scheme. Neither finance officials, nor those from women and child development dept, which runs the yojana, were willing to talk about the delay. “No idea,” was the stock answer from most finance officials. Sources say WCD department has informed govt authorities about finance department’s ‘fund management issue’.

Finance dept officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there was no fund crisis and that the money would be released this month, albeit a couple of days later.

Mukhya Mantri Ladli Behna Yojana is the biggest direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme of MP in which women beneficiaries get Rs 1,250 a month. The scheme was launched by the then Shivraj Singh Chouhan govt ahead of assembly polls in 2023.

Although an electoral game-changer, the scheme is a big burden on the debt ridden Madhya Pradesh govt at Rs 1,500 crore every month.