Madhya Pradesh chief minister calls Ladli Behna scheme a heavy fiscal strain
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the Ladli Behna programme has become a costly burden for the state budget, after its monthly payout was raised to ₹1,500.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav described the state’s flagship Ladli Behna scheme as a "very costly affair" in a light-hearted conversation with Bundeli influencer Binnu Rani. The scheme, introduced in early 2023, initially provided ₹1,000 monthly to eligible women and was later raised to ₹1,500. Yadav said the increased payout translates into an annual expenditure of about ₹22,680 crore for the state.
He also mentioned that the influencer is currently too young to qualify and must wait until she meets the eligibility age. The programme began with more than 13 million applications, but after scrutiny, around 12.9 million women remained eligible, with the first disbursement costing the government ₹1,143.15 crore. Yadav expressed surprise at the financial load the scheme now imposes on the exchequer.
Why it matters
The rising cost of the Ladli Behna scheme could strain Madhya Pradesh's budget and affect future welfare spending.
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