The Maharashtra government has cancelled physical verification of ineligible beneficiaries under its flagship Chief Minister Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme and extended the deadline for completing and correcting e-KYC details on the online portal to March 31, 2026. The move follows complaints from beneficiaries facing difficulties in the e-KYC process. Anganwadi workers had opposed the added workload.
The Maharashtra government has cancelled its earlier decision to conduct physical verification of ineligible beneficiaries under the flagship Chief Minister Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme through Anganwadi workers. Instead, it has extended the deadline for completing and correcting e-KYC details on the online portal till March 31, 2026.
The decision was taken by the Women and Child Welfare department after receiving several complaints from beneficiaries facing difficulties during the e-KYC process.
“Complaints have been received regarding difficulties in accessing scheme benefits due to some beneficiaries selecting incorrect options during the e KYC process. Specifically, all eligible sisters who have completed e KYC but are yet to receive the benefits are being given another opportunity to correct their e KYC information,” said Women and Child Welfare minister Aditi Tatkare.
She added that the facility to correct e-KYC details through the online portal will remain open until March 31, 2026.
According to sources, Anganwadi workers opposed the physical verification plan due to excessive workload and lack of incentives. “There were some complaints that they are burdened with additional work. So, we decided to carry out e KYC till March 31. Those who cannot complete the process till that date will undergo physical verification,” an official from the department said.
The issue arose from a poorly framed question in the e-KYC process, which led to over 24 lakh beneficiaries being wrongly classified as state government employees, suspending their monthly Rs 1,500 assistance. Earlier, the department had ordered nearly one lakh Anganwadi workers across the state to physically verify the affected beneficiaries.
The problematic question in Marathi read: Tumchya Gharatle koni sarkari nokrit nahi na? (Nobody in your family works for the government, right?) Beneficiaries marked 'yes' due to confusion.
The state spends nearly Rs 3,700 crore monthly on the scheme, covering 2.25 crore beneficiaries, each receiving Rs 1,500 per month. The e-KYC exercise was initiated following complaints that male members were receiving benefits or government employees had been wrongly registered. Launched ahead of the 2024 state Assembly elections, the scheme provides monthly financial assistance to eligible women.
