68 lakh accounts under Ladki Bahin closed after failing to complete e-KYC | Mumbai News

April 1, 2026 Headlinesnews

2 min readMumbaiApr 2, 2026 12:07 AM IST

The Maharashtra government has permanently closed 68 lakh out of the 2.43 crore bank accounts under the Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme after they failed to complete the mandatory e-KYC process.

While the deadline to complete the process was March 31, it has now been extended to April 30, which might result in increase in the number of closed accounts.

After the end of the e-KYC scrutiny, the state now has only 1.75 crore active accounts under the scheme.

The e-KYC exercise was undertaken following complaints that male members were receiving benefits under the scheme or that some government employees had been registered as beneficiaries.

The process has received four extensions. The first was in November 2025, later December 2025, then till March 2026. Now, the deadline has been extended till April 30, 2026.

Launched ahead of the 2024 state Assembly elections, the Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme provides monthly financial assistance of Rs 1500 to eligible women. While the scheme has put significant pressure on state finances, it is widely seen as one of the key factors behind the massive electoral victory of the Mahayuti government.

A wrongly framed question, misinterpreted during the e-KYC process had earlier resulted in over 24 lakh beneficiaries being wrongly classified as state government employees, leading to a halt in their monthly dole of Rs 1500.

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The problematic question in Marathi read, Tumchya Gharatle koni sarkari nokrit nahi na? (“Nobody in your family works for the government, right?”). Respondents who should have responded with a “no” are said to have written “yes” due to the framing of the question.

Following the scrutiny of these 24 lakh accounts, 20 lakh have found to be genuine while scrutiny for rest is pending.

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express’ Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra’s hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues.
Expertise

Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai.

Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the ‘hinterlands’).

Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including:

State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance.

Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana).

Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides).

Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC’s OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits.

Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness

Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects.

Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission.

Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards.

Alok Deshpande’s rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra.
He tweets @alokdesh … Read More

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