The Maharashtra government has allocated a staggering ₹70 crore for organizing district-level rallies to promote its flagship women’s empowerment scheme, Majhi Ladki Bahin. This comes on the heels of an earlier allocation of approximately ₹200 crore for the scheme’s publicity campaign.
The government order, Issued recently, mandates that all district collectors organize rallies with a minimum attendance of 5,000 women. These rallies will not only focus on promoting the Ladki Bahin scheme but also other women-centric initiatives, underscoring the government’s keenness to woo female voters ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections. Each district will receive roughly ₹2 crore for the rallies, with district-level committees being formed to oversee the organization.
The government has also incentivized participants to channel the funds they receive under the Ladki Bahin scheme through self-help groups. The scheme will be extended to provide monetary assistance to members of self-help groups participating in the Central government’s Lakhpati Didi scheme. The rallies aim to educate women about the benefits of investing their Ladki Bahin Yojana funds through these self-help groups. However, the tight timeline for organizing the rallies has raised concerns. With the announcement of the election schedule expected in the first week of October, district administrations have only 15 to 20 days to mobilize resources and ensure successful events.
Critics have questioned the government’s lavish spending on publicity campaigns, arguing that the funds could be better utilized to provide more substantial benefits to women. While the government maintains that these initiatives are essential for empowering women, the timing and scale of the rallies have led to speculation about their political motivations.
Election-Bound Maharashtra Allocates ₹70 Crore for Women’s Rallies
