Ladki Bahin scheme lesson: Maharashtra govt tightens screening before farm loan-waiver rollout | Mumbai News

July 22, 2026 Headlinesnews

2 min readMumbaiJul 22, 2026 05:55 AM IST

Determined to avoid a repeat of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana controversy, the Maharashtra government will release the first list of beneficiaries under its flagship Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farm Loan Waiver Scheme on Wednesday which includes an additional round of eligibility checks, including verification with Income Tax records.

Officials said the names of around 25 lakh probable beneficiaries have been shared with the I-T Department to identify and exclude farmers who are income tax payers, one of the categories ineligible for the scheme. “The list of probable beneficiaries was shared with the Income Tax department. Farmers who are income tax payers will be excluded before the final list is published,” a senior Cooperation Department official said.

On Tuesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the Cooperation Department was finalising the first list, which will be released on Wednesday. Agriculture Minister Dattatray Bharne said the government was working to ensure that eligible farmers begin receiving the benefit by the end of July. Under the scheme, the state will waive crop loans of up to Rs 2 lakh. The government has estimated that around 56 lakh farmers will benefit at a cost of Rs 36,585 crore, and has provided Rs 20,000 crore through supplementary demands.

Officials said the verification process has been made significantly more rigorous than under the Ladki Bahin scheme. Besides Income Tax scrutiny, shortlisted farmers will have to verify details uploaded by banks before the final beneficiary list is notified. The additional checks follow the controversy over the implementation of the Ladki Bahin scheme, under which benefits were disbursed before large-scale eligibility verification. A statewide scrutiny led to the removal of lakhs of beneficiaries found to be ineligible or who had failed to complete mandatory verification.

The farm loan waiver has missed its earlier implementation timelines. The government had initially targeted June 30 for rollout and later revised the deadline to July 5 during the Monsoon Session. Officials now expect the waiver process to gather pace after the first beneficiary list is published on Wednesday. The scheme was approved by the state Cabinet on June 2 and later expanded during the Monsoon Session.

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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