MP govt defers ‘Bhai Dooj’ special aid under Laadli Behna Yojana; criticized

Drifting from its promise, the Madhya Pradesh government has deferred the payment of Rs 250 each to 1.26 crore women beneficiaries of ‘Laadli Behna Yojana’ as a ‘Bhai Dooj’ gift, for next month.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has reportedly received a lot of flak for not fulfilling his promise and distributing the funds on Thursday, the day of ‘Bhai Dooj’.

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He announced that all beneficiary women would receive the earlier promised Rs 250 with the scheme’s monthly installment of Rs 1,250 in November. He also announced that the regular monthly installment from November would be permanently hiked by Rs 250, and each woman beneficiary would start receiving Rs 1500 instead of Rs 1250 from next month onwards.

However, the CM’s failure to pay the Rs 250 Bhai Dooj gift not only disappointed the women beneficiaries, but also prompted sharp criticism from the opposition Congress.

“The BJP government has continuously failed to keep up its promises made to the women of the state. The government had announced long ago that the ‘Laadli Behna’ money would be raised to Rs 3000 per month, but that is nowhere in sight”, averred Congress leader K K Mishra, the chief media advisor to MP Congress President Jitu Patwari.

“It is now to be seen if the CM would actually fulfill his promise of Bhai Dooj gift of Rs 250, and the monthly hike to Rs 1500 instead of Rs 1250 from November onwards”, Mishra told The Statesman.

Initially, CM Dr Mohan Yadav had announced on 12 September at an event in Petlawad that ‘Laadli Behna Yojana’ beneficiary women would be paid Rs 1500 per month from Diwali onwards.

He reiterated his promise on 12 October during a function at Sheopur, assuring that the women beneficiaries would be paid a gift of Rs 250, in addition to the monthly Rs 1250, on the occasion of Bhai Dooj.

However, he announced that the Rs 250 Bhai Dooj gift would now be paid in November.

Nonetheless, addressing the ‘Bhai Dooj’ function at the CM House today, CM Dr Yadav reiterated, “there is no shortage of funds for sisters in the state government’s treasury.”

He stated that the ‘Laadli Behna Yojana’ is a direct path to prosperity for the sisters of the state, and this scheme has provided immense support and assistance to Laadli Behnas in times of need.

“Our government has so far provided approximately Rs 45,000 crore in 29 installments of the ‘Laadli Behna Yojana’ to the beloved sisters of the state”, the CM informed.

“It is my good fortune to have over 1.26 crore women as my Laadli Behnas”, Dr Yadav expressed joy.

“The ‘Laadli Behna Yojana’ has brightened the lives of millions of sisters. Now we are taking the ‘Laadli Behna Yojana’ to a new stage, and this scheme is going to expand even further. Sisters in the state will receive not just Rs 1250 but Rs 1500 every month in their accounts from November. This Rs 250 increase will give them new courage and new hope,” he asserted.