Ladli Behna Beneficiary Count Dropping, Over 6.25 Lakh Names Gone Since 2023

Launched ahead of the 2023 Madhya Pradesh assembly elections and projected as one of the state government's flagship welfare schemes for women, the Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana is now witnessing a steady decline in the number of beneficiaries, while fresh registrations remain closed. 

Government data shows more than 6.25 lakh women have dropped out of the beneficiary pool since the scheme was rolled out. 

The decline has continued through 2026 as well. In January, the number of eligible beneficiaries stood at around 1.253 crore. By September 1, the figure had dropped to around 1.251 crore, indicating that more than 20,000 women were removed from the rolls in the first eight months of the year.

The most striking aspect of the trend is that while women continue to be removed from the scheme because of age, death or other eligibility conditions, there is currently no process for adding new beneficiaries. As a result, the pool of women receiving the monthly assistance has been consistently shrinking rather than expanding. 

Departmental data shows that in October 2023, the scheme covered more than 1.31 crore women. 

Since then, the figure has steadily declined. At the time of its launch, more than 1.31 crore applications had been received. 

Following scrutiny and objections, over 2.18 lakh names were removed, leaving around 1.29 crore eligible beneficiaries. The number has continued to fall since then.

One of the main reasons for deletion is the age criterion. Under the existing rules, a beneficiary remains eligible only up to the age of 60. Women who cross the prescribed age limit are removed from the list. Names are also deleted in the event of the death of a beneficiary or if a woman is found to no longer meet other eligibility conditions. 

Officials say the database is continuously updated and the beneficiary count could decline further by the end of December 2026 as more women cross the age threshold. However, there is still no clarity on when new registrations will begin.

The issue has also come up in the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly. Congress MLA Mahesh Parmar had asked when registration of newly eligible women would begin. In response, Women and Child Development Minister Nirmala Bhuria said it is not possible to provide a timeframe for opening fresh registrations under the scheme.

The Ladli Behna Yojana was launched in June 2023 with a monthly assistance of Rs 1,000. The amount was later increased to Rs 1,250. Another hike of Rs 250 was implemented in November 2025, taking the monthly payout to Rs1,500, which eligible beneficiaries currently receive. 

The BJP had promised that the monthly assistance under the scheme will eventually be increased to Rs 3,000 over a period of five years. While the amount has risen in stages, the number of beneficiaries has been moving in the opposite direction.

At its current scale, the Ladli Behna Yojana is estimated to cost the state around Rs 22,680 crore, making it one of the most expensive welfare programmes in Madhya Pradesh. The scheme has also remained one of the BJP government's most prominent political and social outreach programmes among women.

The scheme has, however, also been at the centre of political controversies following statements by ministers linking government events with beneficiary participation. 

A few months ago, state Revenue Minister and Ichhawar MLA Karan Singh Verma drew criticism after making remarks during the inauguration of sub-health centres in Dhamanda village. 

Addressing the gathering, Verma said that 894 Ladli Behna beneficiaries in Dhamanda village were receiving Rs 1,500 every month but only a small number had turned up at the programme. 

He said officials will be asked to call all beneficiaries on a specific day and suggested that those who failed to attend could have their names removed and a report submitted. 

Cabinet Minister Vijay Shah also came under criticism over a similar statement during a District Development Advisory Committee meeting in Ratlam. Shah said that since crores of rupees were being spent under the Ladli Behna Yojana, beneficiaries should show respect to the Chief Minister by attending government programmes. He also suggested that applications of women who did not attend be withheld.