MVA Would Scrap Cash Transfer Scheme for Women: Shiv Sena Leader Nirupam

Mumbai: The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Tuesday claimed that if the MVA government comes to power in Maharashtra, they would scrap Mukhya Mantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana (CM My Beloved Sister Scheme), a flagship scheme of chief minister Eknath Shinde. Shiv Sena deputy leader and spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam said that the opposition leaders are creating a false narrative that the state cannot fund the scheme as its coffers are empty.

The scheme, which aims to provide monetary assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to the women having annual family income of less than Rs 2.50 lakh, was announced in the state budget by deputy chief minister and finance minister Ajit Pawar in June. The scheme has been rolled out from July 1. The BJP-led Mahayuti is considering this scheme as a game changer in the State Assembly election which is scheduled in mid October of this year.

The Shiv Sena leader claimed that the state government has received 1.80 crore applications including 1.30 crore online applications and 50 lakh offline applications since the registration began. Of these, 80 lakh applications have been verified so far. Rs 3,000 will be credited to those eligible applicants, whose E-KYCs have been verified by August 17, two days before Raksha Bandhan.

Mr Nirupam said, “The state government is receiving seven to eight lakh applications each day for the scheme. On July 20, 8.16 Lakh applications were received, which is the highest number of applications in a day. So far, 88 Lakh people have downloaded Nari Shakti Doot App. Every minute, around 800 people are downloading this App. This App is ranking fifth in the social sector across the country.”

The Shiv Sena leader also claimed that no previous scheme has ever received such an extensive response. “The massive turnout is a testament to the trust that the mothers of the state place in Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde,” he said. .

Rebutting the Opposition’s allegations over the financial viability of the scheme, the Shiv Sena leader said that it is not Congress party’s Khatakhat scheme, which is going to fail. “The Ashok Gehlot-led previous government in Rajasthan and the Congress government in Karnataka have never fulfilled its promises of farm loan waiver and other welfare schemes blaming the central government for their failure. Maharashtra government has not sought any financial assistance from the central government for this scheme as it is entirely funded by the state government. The Maharashtra CM remains committed to his promise,” Mr Nirupam said.

The Shiv Sena spokesperson said that the MVA leaders including Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray have been raising doubts and calling this scheme an “election announcement”. “As per my information, the Congress leaders have been discussing that if their government (MVA government) comes to power after the Assembly election, they will scrap this scheme…However, they (MVA) would not come to power,” he said.

Mr. Nirupam also said that a special drive will be taken in Mumbai as it has not received good response in comparison with the rest of the state.