PIL challenges Shinde government’s cash transfer schemes ahead of state polls

Mumbai: Even before its implementation, the Maharashtra government’s ambitious ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’ is facing hurdles as Mumbai-based chartered accountant has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court against the cash benefit scheme for women, citing that it would put an additional burden on taxpayers. The scheme offers a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 to be transferred into bank accounts of women in the 21 to 65 age group whose family income was less than Rs 2.5 lakh

The petitioner has also challenged ‘Ladka Bhau Yojana’, aimed at providing job training and stipends for youths.

Advocate Owais Pechkar, representing the petitioner Naveed Abdul Saeed Mulla, a Charted Accountant from Navi Mumbai, mentioned the plea for an early hearing. A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar listed the matter for Tuesday. However, the court on Friday refused to urgently hear the plea, which claimed that the schemes would cripple the state financially.

The ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme is targetted towards women between 21 to 60 years of age, whose annual income is below Rs 2.5 lakh. The budget allocated by the Government for the scheme is Rs. 4,600 crores per year.

Under the Ladka Bhau Yojana, the government intends to provide on-job training and financial support to young men to tackle the issue of unemployment. During the training period, the youths will receive monthly stipends based on educational qualifications: Rs 6,000 for Class 12 graduates, Rs 8,000 for diploma holders, and Rs 10,000 for bachelor's degree holders.

The petitioner contended that the budget allocated for these schemes will be a burden on the State exchequer and that it will cripple the State budget. He claimed that taxes should only be utilised for infrastructure development, building schools, hospitals etc. It is stated in the petition that these schemes are “discriminatory towards direct and indirect taxpayers of the state”.

The petition further alleged political motives behind the schemes in view of the upcoming legislative assembly elections in October 2024. It claimed that cash benefits transfers are synonymous with “bribery”.