AIDWA Launches Statewide Protest Over Exclusion of Women From Ladli Bahna Scheme

Mumbai: The All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) has launched a statewide agitation in Maharashtra demanding the re-inclusion of women who were allegedly excluded from the BJP government's 'Ladli Bahna' scheme without proper justification.

AIDWA alleges that nearly one crore women were arbitrarily removed from the scheme on trivial grounds. The BJP government had launched the 'Ladli Bahna' scheme ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, providing Rs 1,500 per month to around 2.63 crore women in the state.

After the election, verification procedures were initiated and nearly one crore beneficiaries were allegedly removed from the scheme in July this year, with payments to them stopped. At present, 1.66 crore women remain beneficiaries, although they are also reportedly not receiving the assistance regularly.

As part of the agitation, AIDWA said it has been collecting applications from women who were excluded from the scheme since September 20 and organising women's conventions in various districts. More than 3,000 women participated in a convention held in Dahanu taluk of Thane-Palghar district. AIDWA national vice-president Mariam Dhawale, state general secretary Prachi Hatiwlekar, Lahani Daud and Sunita Shingde addressed the gathering.

Programmes will be organised in other taluks of the district until September 27 and subsequently in different parts of the state. The AIDWA leadership also said it would organise a march in Mumbai, bringing together thousands of women who have been excluded from the scheme.