The Maharashtra Government’s Initiatives on Women’s Benefits
The Maharashtra government is currently working to identify women who have benefited from the “Girl Bahin” scheme. This scheme is aimed at providing financial assistance to women, but the government is now focusing on those who may not fully meet the eligibility criteria. Specifically, they are looking for beneficiaries who own a four-wheeler while receiving support from the scheme.
About the Girl Bahin Scheme
Under the Girl Bahin scheme, the government offers Rs 1,500 per month to women whose annual family income is less than Rs 2.5 lakh and who do not have any government employees in their family. A key condition of this scheme is that beneficiaries must not own a four-wheeler or receive assistance from any other government program.
Authorities in Pune have reported that over 21 lakh women in the Pune district alone have availed of this scheme.
Opposition Response
However, this move has sparked controversy. Political parties such as the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar, have strongly criticized the government’s action, describing it as an insult to women and labeling it as fraudulent.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Pune Zilla Parishad, Jamsingh Girse, mentioned that they will proceed with disqualifying women found to have a four-wheeler. He clarified that there would be no house-to-house investigation or fines for these women. Instead, they will rely on a list provided by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to implement these changes, with the process expected to take about a month.
Voices from Beneficiaries
A female beneficiary from Indrayani Nagar in Pimpri-Chinchwad shared her perspective. She explained that even though she owns a four-wheeler, it was purchased ten years ago, and she lost her job three years back. She questioned the fairness of being disqualified due to her vehicle when her current financial situation has drastically changed. Girse reiterated that any beneficiary with a four-wheeler would be excluded from the program.
Political Opinions
Pune City Congress spokesperson Gopal Tiwari condemned the government’s move as “inhuman” and an affront to women. He highlighted that some women might have purchased vehicles before the COVID-19 pandemic, and many lost their jobs during the crisis. He argued that disqualifying women who still possess a car but are currently unemployed is unfair.
Mahesh Tapase, spokesperson for the NCP, expressed that this action is a betrayal of Maharashtra’s women. He pointed out that the ruling coalition initially promised financial support to gain votes from women but is now attempting to retract that assistance after coming to power.
Overall, the situation continues to unfold, with strong opinions and emotions from both beneficiaries and political representatives regarding the implications of this policy.
