Connect with us
Sunday,01-February-2026
Breaking News

Maharashtra

Maharashtra: ‘83% Of ‘Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’ Beneficiaries Are Married Women,’ Says Official Data

Published

on

Mumbai: Married women make up as many as 83 per cent of the beneficiaries of the Maharashtra government’s ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’, as per official data.

The scheme, which is supposed to have played a role in the BJP-led coalition’s victory in the November 2024 assembly elections, provides monthly assistance of Rs 1,500 to women aged 21 to 65 who are married, divorced, widowed, deserted, or destitute, and whose family income is below Rs 2,50,000 per year.

The benefit is also provided to one unmarried woman per family.

The scheme has, as of now, some 2.5 crore beneficiaries, though the government is now carrying out a scrutiny to omit those who are ineligible.

Data indicates that married women constitute 83 per cent while unmarried women constitute 11.8 per cent of the beneficiaries, a senior official said on Thursday.

Widows account for 4.7 per cent of beneficiaries, while `divorced, destitute or deserted’ women collectively make up less than 1 per cent of the cohort.

Divorced women account for 0.3 per cent, deserted women 0.2 per cent, and destitute women for 0.1 per cent of beneficiaries.

The highest 29 per cent of beneficiaries are from the 30-39 age group, followed 25.5 per cent from 21-29 age group and 23.6 per cent from 40-49 age group.

Women aged 60 to 65 account for only five per cent of beneficiaries.

Pune district has recorded the highest number of applications for the scheme, followed by Nashik and Ahmednagar. On the other hand, Sindhudurg and Gadchiroli districts have recorded the lowest number of applications.

The scheme was rolled out in July last year. Before the November elections, the ruling Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena promised to increase the amount under the scheme to Rs 2,100 per month. After coming to power, the new Devendra Fadnavis-led government said the promise would be kept, and an announcement to this effect is expected in the coming Budget.

After coming to power, the new Mahayuti government ordered a review to remove ineligible recipients. So far, five lakh beneficiaries have been excluded, with officials estimating that the number could rise to 15 lakh.

Women owning four-wheelers, those in government employment or those already receiving benefit exceeding Rs 1,500 from other schemes would be disqualified.

At the time of its launch, the scheme was said to cost the state exchequer Rs 46,000 crore annually.

It has also faced allegations of fraud and political manipulation.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday accused the government of misleading women voters by rolling out the scheme before the elections and slashing the number of beneficiaries after coming to power.

“The government distributed funds to women as an incentive to get votes. After assuming office (after the elections), it imposed various conditions that have significantly reduced the number of eligible beneficiaries,” he said.

The Fadnavis government intends to reduce the number of beneficiaries by as much as 25 per cent, the Congress leader claimed, calling it a betrayal of voters.

Maharashtra

Mumbai: Cleanliness of Narelwadi graveyard since Shab-e-Barat, restoration of closed pillars in the graveyard, cleaning of the graveyard by Corporator Waqar Khan’s team

Published

on

Mumbai: Ahead of Shab-e-Barat, the process of cleaning the graveyard is underway. South Mumbai Ward No. 211 Corporator Waqar Khan met the trustees of Narelwadi graveyard recently. During this meeting, it was revealed by the trustees that the six high-mast lights installed in the graveyard had been switched off for the last eight months, due to which severe difficulties were being faced at night.

Taking the issue seriously, Waqar Khan spoke to the concerned officers of the BMC and demanded an immediate solution to the problem. Initially, the officers told that a fund of about Rs 24 lakh was required for this work, which is not available at the moment and it has to be approved.

Later, Waqar Khan maintained constant contact with senior officers and ward officers, as a result of which all the high-mast lights were reactivated within just two days.

During the visit to the graveyard, it was also observed that there is a need for serious cleaning. So within two to three days, under the leadership of Waqar Khan, about 40 to 50 locals of Madanpur Hanagpada personally took up the task of cleaning the graveyard without any political motive. In two to three hours, the area around about 50 graves was cleaned.

Taking forward this spirit, it was decided that a major cleaning drive would be launched on Sunday, February 1, in which 100 to 150 local, non-political people would participate.

This cleaning drive would continue from 11 am to 3 pm, with the aim of making this final resting place of Muslims clean, tidy and dignified. This drive is being carried out purely as a public service and religious and social responsibility, which does not involve any political motive.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Mumbai Court Bars Filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap & Others From Making Statements Against Salman Khan, Family

Published

on

Mumbai: The city civil court on Friday barred filmmaker Abhinav Kashyap and others from making any comments against Salman Khan and his family on any platform, in any form, while granting interim relief to the actor in a defamation suit filed against the filmmaker and others.

Khan had filed a defamation suit against Kashyap, Komal Mehru, Khushnoo Hazare, Ashok Kumar / John Doe, and various social media platforms for allegedly making defamatory statements against him and his family. While issuing restraining orders, the court observed that freedom of speech does not mean one can use abusive or threatening language against any individual.

Khan had approached the court following allegedly “scandalous, false, and grossly defamatory” statements made by Kashyap against him and his family members in various video interviews aired on the “Bollywood Thikana” channel, owned by Hazare. In those interviews and videos, Kashyap is alleged to have used offensive language and accused the family of running a cartel to destroy careers.

There are allegedly 26 such video interviews and podcasts released between September and December 2025, which are at the centre of the controversy. In the suit filed through advocate Pradeep Gandhy, Khan sought a permanent injunction and Rs9 crore in damages for the comments made by Kashyap and others against him and his family.

Continue Reading

Maharashtra

Crackdown on illegal street vendors in Andheri, Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s ‘K-Waste’ department takes action, citizens are relieved

Published

on

Mumbai: Around 200 unauthorised hawkers and additional structures on footpaths in Ram Ganesh Gadkari Marg (Arla Marg) area of ​​Andheri (West) in Mumbai were evicted by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation’s ‘K-West’ department yesterday (January 29, 2026). The operation, as per the instructions of Municipal Corporation Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan Gagrani, was conducted under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner (Zone-4) Bhagya Shri Kapse, and Assistant Commissioner (K-West Division) Chakrapani Ale. Unauthorised additional structures were found on footpaths connecting Swami Vivekananda Marg and Gulmohar Marg in Andheri (West) and on Ram Ganesh Gadkari Marg (Arla Marg) adjacent to the entrance of Dr. No. Cooper Hospital. It was also observed that unauthorised hawkers have set up shops in this area. It was creating obstacles for ambulances bringing patients to Cooper Hospital in case of emergency and for pedestrians to walk on the footpaths.

In this context, an eviction drive was launched by the ‘K-West’ administrative department of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation. Under this, around 200 unauthorized hawkers and unauthorized additional structures established on the footpaths in this area were evicted.

The eviction was carried out with the help of 04 encroachment removal vehicles, 03 JCBs and other equipment. During this operation, an adequate police force including 100 officers and employees of the Municipal Corporation were deployed. Local representatives and citizens are expressing satisfaction over this action. The Municipal Corporation administration has made it clear that regular evictions against unauthorized structures will continue in the future.

Continue Reading

Trending