Bharatiya Janata Party leader Mohan Yadav admitted the financial burden of the Ladli Behna Yojana, a cash transfer scheme for women in Madhya Pradesh. The scheme has seen an increase in monthly payments and budgetary allocation.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has publicly acknowledged that he underestimated the financial implications of the Ladli Behna Yojana, a cash transfer scheme for women. Initiated by former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the scheme involves monthly transfers of Rs 1,000 to women aged between 21 and 60 years with an annual family income below Rs 2.5 lakh.
In October 2023, the monthly amount was increased to Rs 1,250, a month before the Assembly elections. The BJP also pledged, in its election manifesto, to enhance the amount to Rs 3,000 per month.
The budgetary allocation for the scheme in financial year 2026-’27 was Rs 23,882 crore, according to The Hindu. However, concerns about the scheme's long-term economic benefits have led to a petition seeking its discontinuation in the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The court has asked for responses from state authorities regarding the petition, which claims that 'a very large amount of public money is being distributed every month, without sufficient material showing that such recurring cash assistance is actually creating lasting economic empowerment, self-reliance, employment, skills or permanent income opportunities for women'.
Similar controversies have arisen over a similar scheme in Maharashtra. The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, launched in June 2024, provides a monthly transfer of Rs 1,500 to women aged between 21 and 65 whose families earn less than Rs 2.5 lakh annually.
The scheme is said to have played an important role in the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance winning 230 seats in the 288-member Assembly in November 2024. However, concerns over its impact on state finances have been raised by Nationalist Congress Party leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal in October 2025.
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