Archive · 6 Oct 2026
Mohan Yadav Says Ladli Behna Scheme Is Costly
Madhya Pradesh gives monthly money to eligible women through a programme called Ladli Behna.
The payments started at ₹1,000 per month and later rose to ₹1,500.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said he had not expected the programme to put such a large strain on state finances.
One report estimates it costs about ₹22,680 crore each year at the current payment level.
The number of women receiving money has gone down, and new registrations are not open.
Women may leave the programme if they turn 60, die, or no longer meet the rules.
A court has asked the state to respond to a petition questioning whether the spending creates lasting benefits.
The BJP had promised to raise the monthly payment to ₹3,000 over five years.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said he had not anticipated the financial burden of the Ladli Behna scheme.
The scheme began in 2023 with monthly payments of ₹1,000, later raised to ₹1,250 and then ₹1,500 in November 2025.
At ₹1,500 a month, the scheme is estimated to cost about ₹22,680 crore annually for roughly 1.26 crore beneficiaries.
The beneficiary count has fallen from more than 1.31 crore in October 2023 to around 1.25 crore by January 2026, with further decline reported by September.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought the state’s response to a petition challenging the scheme’s recurring public expenditure.
- Who
- Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna scheme.
- What
- Yadav said he had not anticipated the scheme’s financial burden; the programme provides eligible women monthly cash assistance.
- When
- The scheme was launched in 2023; the payment rose to ₹1,500 in November 2025.
- Where
- Madhya Pradesh, India.
- Why
- Yadav was discussing the scheme’s cost to the state; a court petition also questions its recurring expenditure and whether it creates lasting economic empowerment.
Criticism of the Scheme
Continuation of the Scheme
Public spending and long-term impact
Criticism of the Scheme
The petition asks the Madhya Pradesh High Court to examine the scheme, arguing that recurring public payments lack sufficient evidence of lasting economic empowerment, self-reliance, employment, skills or permanent income for women.
Continuation of the Scheme
The scheme remains in operation, with monthly payments increased to ₹1,500. The articles report its eligibility rules and payment history but do not provide a detailed government response to the petition’s criticism.
- Current monthly payment
- ₹1,500
- Estimated annual cost
- About ₹22,680 crore, based on roughly 1.26 crore beneficiaries
- Budget allocation
- ₹23,882 crore for financial year 2026–27, as reported by The Hindu
- Initial monthly payment
- ₹1,000
- Eligibility described
- Women aged 21 to 60 from families with annual income not exceeding ₹2.5 lakh
- Beneficiary count
- More than 1.31 crore in October 2023; around 1.25 crore by January 2026, with a further decline reported by September
- Future increase promised
- The BJP promised to raise assistance to ₹3,000 per month over five years
