Mumbai:

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday took a dig at the opposition, especially his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray, and said those born with a golden spoon will not realise the value of Rs 1,500, the amount the state government is giving to underprivileged women per month under a new welfare scheme.

Addressing an event in Mumbai’s Chandivali area, Mr Shinde said the opposition has described the Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana as “deceptive and a false assurance”, but the scheme has received an overwhelming response from women.

Nearly 2 crore women filled the form for availing benefit under the scheme and 1.5 crore eligible among them have received the stipend of Rs 1,500 promised by the Mahayuti government, informed the CM.

“The opposition makes fun of the scheme that they (the government) are giving bribes (through this scheme). Those born with a golden spoon will not understand the value of Rs 1,500. The value of Rs 1,500 will be known to my ‘ladkya bahini’ (dear sisters),” he said, in an apparent reference to Shiv Sena (UBT) president Mr Thackeray, whose party has been critical of the scheme.

Mr Shinde insisted the moment the first tranche was credited to the bank account of beneficiaries, the opposition was proved wrong.

“After the amount was credited, the opposition spread rumours that money will be taken back. But this government is the one that gives and not takes,” Mr Shinde maintained.

The opposition has dubbed the scheme, which will cost the state exchequer Rs 46,000 crore a year and is targeted at financially disadvantaged women aged 21 to 65 years, as financially unviable. It has also termed the monthly stipend as “paltry”.

He urged women beneficiaries to “strengthen the hands of the government” which will help it to increase the monthly amount going forward.

If the government’s strength is increased, the stipend amount will be doubled, declared Mr Shinde in comments aimed at wooing women voters ahead of the assembly polls which are likely to be held in November.

Shinde pointed out that some people in the opposition event went to the court to stall the scheme, but their attempts to stop it roll-out in August proved futile.

The Shiv Sena leader said ahead of polls, the opposition spreads rumours that Mumbai will be separated from Maharashtra, but this will never happen.

“No one can break Mumbai from Maharashtra,” Shinde declared.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Former Finance Minister and BJP leader Sudhir Mugantiwar dismissed the State Finance Department’s concern over Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana’s expenditure given the looming financial condition of the State and said every file placed in cabinet meetings for decision-making passes through the department.

The scheme providing a ₹1,500 monthly stipend to empower underprivileged women will cost the government around ₹46,000 crores annually, and over one crore applications have already been received. Besides, the State’s debt soared to ₹7.8 lakh crores, has been a concern of the State finance department. Reportedly, before the budget, the department expressed apprehensions to the government regarding the yojana. However, it was still passed. The department also raised alarms about Maharashtra’s financial condition being in a shaky position with huge debts and introducing a new scheme will add to the burden. 

Minister of Forest, Mr. Mugantiwar, justified the viability of the scheme calling it a way to pump money into the economy of the State. “The finance department always talks about low funds, but does that mean we stop initiating schemes? We have so many schemes like free education for girls, the Sanjay Gandhi pension scheme, and more, have we stopped them? Then, what is the problem? If 2.8 crore women receive financial assistance, then this is like Diwali to them.”

Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana announced ahead of the Assembly election, has once again found itself in the middle of controversy with this and further criticism from the opposition. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut called the Yojana, government’s another “type of corruption” and “financial indiscipline”. “No money in the kitty of State, yet big schemes are announced to vow voters. Why disrespect women by allocating ₹1,500 and others ₹6,000, when they are the ones dealing with inflation and running homes.”