Maharashtra CM highlights 'Mukhyamantri Ladki Behna' scheme ahead of Raksha Bandhan to empower women through financial assistance

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 18 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has highlighted the state government's flagship scheme, 'Mukhyamantri Ladki Behna,' ahead of Raksha Bandhan.
The Maharashtra government launched the scheme on August 17 to provide financial assistance to women and make them more independent and self-reliant. The scheme aims to empower women through financial assistance, providing Rs 1,500 per month to women aged 21-65 with an annual income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh.
Speaking to ANI about the developmental schemes in the state, Eknath Shinde said, "We have started the Mukhyamantri Ladki Behna Yojana under which more than one crore women in the state will receive Rs 1,500 per month as direct financial assistance. If there are two sisters, they will receive Rs 3,000."
The "Mukhyamantri Ladki Behna" scheme is modelled after Madhya Pradesh's "Ladli Behna Yojana" and aims to provide long-term financial support to women in need.
CM Shinde also said 3 gas cylinders per year will be provided free of cost to all eligible beneficiaries under the Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana of Maharashtra Government.
"From the time, a girl child is born, the state government will provide financial assistance of Rs 5,000 when they go to school, they will receive Rs 6,000, they receive Rs 7,000 when in 5th standard and Rs 8,000 when they go to the 11th standard. When the girl reaches 18 years of age, by then she will have received Rs 1 lakh," he said.
CM Shinde said that the state government aims to encourage more and more girls to study and take up higher education.
"Girls should study, this is our aim. A girl committed suicide. Why? Because the government was paying 50 per cent of the fees. But 50 per cent was not enough for her parents to pay. That's when I started the initiative to help girls attain higher education and become doctors, lawyers or engineers. The government will pay their fees. This decision was also taken," stated the CM.
Chief Minister Shinde also spoke about Berojgar Yojana for the youth in the state and said class 12th students will get a diploma degree of Rs 6,000-10,000 per month and an internship so that we can facilitate trained manpower to the coming industries.
"They will be sent to the private industries as per the vacancies. They don't have to spend, the government will be spending. This will also tackle unemployment. We will give employment to the unemployed," he stated.
The Maharashtra Chief Minister also countered opposition allegations stating that the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra was announcing freebies despite the state reeling under the debt burden.
CM Shinde said, "They are reflecting on their problems. Like in Karnataka, they made a lot of promises but later could not fulfil them. When we make an announcement, we should announce by looking at our capacities."
"The announcements that we have made, under them, we have donated Rs 33,000 crore for our sisters for the entire financial year. Secondly, the Maharashtra government has provided a provision of Rs 55000- 60,000 crore for the youth," he said.
Shinde highlighted that the government is not exceeding the limits and is also not reeling under any sort of burden as they can take a loan up to a limit of 25 per cent of GDP.
"We are not exceeding our limits and are also not reeling under any sort of burden because we can take a loan up to a limit of 25 per cent of GDP and we are at 17.5 per cent. In FRBM, we should not go beyond 3 per cent and we are behind in that. We have completely followed the norms and will continue to implement such schemes for the next 3-4 years," said CM Shinde.
He blamed the opposition for defaming them as they didn't know that these schemes would be launched on a big scale.
"The opposition is trying to defame us because they couldn't make such a provision. It was unexpected for them. They didn't know that on such a big scale, these schemes would be launched," he stated.
"I said this before and will say it again on August 17, the accounts of our dear sisters will be credited with the instalments of the amounts promised under the scheme and financial assistance will continue to flow into their accounts because we have provided for it," he said.
"Whatever we say, we do. Elections keep coming and going. We are not the kind of people who will turn back from our promises. We are the people's people. I am the Chief Minister of the people. I have come from the grassroots. And we cannot trap people like this. How will we face them?" said CM Shinde.
"Jo bolte hai vahi karenge jo karne wale hote hai vahi bolenge," added the Maharashtra CM.
Chief Minister Shinde guaranteed that their version of the scheme will not be temporary but will continue indefinitely.
The flagship scheme is only applicable to women who belong to financially disadvantaged families. As per the criteria, women from families with less than Rs 2.5 lakh household income per annum are eligible.
Associating the scheme with the upcoming Raksha Bandhan festival, Eknath Shinde said that the scheme aims to protect the interests of women in the state through the 'Ladki Behna Yojana.'