What Is the Ladki Bahin Yojana?

Ladki Bahin Yojana, Also known as Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana is a welfare scheme established by Maharashtra government with an objective of financial and social empowerment of women. Under this program, women living in the state get monthly cash support (per beneficiary) directly into their bank accounts.

This article is here to take a deep-dive into the e-KYC (Electronic Know Your Customer) process that is associated with this scheme — what it means, how you can complete it, why you have no choice but to do so and what sort of problems have cropped up as roll-out takes place.

Background — How the Scheme Was Framed

All over India, more particularly in rural and under privileged societies women are challenged by lack of regular income to contend with poverty. Acknowledging this, the Government of Maharashtra introduced Ladki Bahin Yojana with the objective:

• Give regular support in money to women.
• Promote economic independence for women.
• Enhance women’s participation in the state’s social and economic life.

Under the scheme, all eligible women get ₹1,500 per month directly transferred into their bank account.

This benefit is payable through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) which minimizes the intermediaries and promotes secure transfer of money directly to the beneficiaries.

e-KYC Explained – Everything You Need to Know

e-KYC means Electronic Know Your Customer. This is an official method for digitally identifying people and is generally accomplished using:

• Aadhaar number
• OTP validation (sent to Mobile Number linked with Aadhaar)

Maharashtra announced all beneficiaries of the Ladki Bahin Yojana would have to complete mandatory e-KYC. Future monthly payments will not be given if the beneficiary does not undergo e-KYC.

Simply put, the government checks that:

the applicant is in fact the person she represents herself to be, and

Her information, from Aadhaar data especially, is official.

This digital validation maintains transparency, prevents any fraud and assists to ensure that only eligible women can access the benefit of this scheme.

Eligibility of Ladki Bahin Yojana

The Basis Of eKYC Above all else, it is essential to clarify who exactly can be covered by e-KYC:

• Maharashtra Resident: They have to belong to Maharashtra state.
• Age: Age must be 21 years and up to 65 years at the time of application.
• Family Income: The family income during a year has to be less than ₹2.5 lakh.
• Bank Account & Aadhaar: Should possess an Aadhaar-linked bank account.
• Employment: Normally their priority is unemployed women whose families do not have a solid income, or women employed by government or high assets. (Detailed Exclusions available at official site.)

If anyone fulfills these norms, she can apply for the scheme and e-KYC to get the benefit.

Why e-KYC Is Mandatory

There are several reasons for framing e-KYC as mandatory:

Preventing Fraud

There are numerous instances before the implementation of E-KYC where ineligible people had tried to avail benefits like men posing as women beneficiaries.

e-KYC would check identity details with Aadhaar number to match account holders and the benefits are transferred to verified women.

Improving Transparency

e-KYC allows the government to digitally ascertain information rather than rely solely on documents that can be forged or misused.

Ensuring Continued Eligibility

Since soon e-KYC will be possible even annually, it enables the government to validate if details of a beneficiary are still in order with time.

Step-by-Step e-KYC Process

Here’s how a beneficiary can complete the e-KYC process for the Ladki Bahin Yojana:

1. Visit the Official Website

Go to the official portal: https://ladakibahin.maharashtra.gov.in and select the e-KYC option.

2. Enter Aadhaar Details

Type your 12-digit Aadhaar number and the captcha code shown on the screen.

3. OTP Verification

An OTP will be sent to your phone linked with Aadhaar. Enter the code to verify your identity.

4. Fill Additional Information

After verifying identity, enter any required additional details, such as:

• name
• address
• date of birth
• income details

5. Submit and Confirm

Once all information is accurate, submit the form. The system confirms completion of e-KYC.

Once the e-KYC completes successfully, monthly stipend payments will continue. However, if e-KYC remains incomplete by the government deadline, payments may stop until the process is finished.Deadlines and Renewal of e-KYC

Initially, the government set the e-KYC deadline for beneficiaries as 18 November 2025. This deadline was later extended to 31 December 2025, giving women more time to complete the e-KYC process.

Additionally:

• Annual renewal of e-KYC may become necessary after June 2026.

This year-by-year update helps keep beneficiary information current and ensures continued compliance with eligibility requirements.

COMMON E-KYC ISSUES AND THE GOVERNMENT’S REACTIONS

Despite the ease of digital e-KYC, there have been several challenges:

1.Technical Glitches

Some recipients have cited problems such as:

• delayed or missing OTPs
• website crashes or slow loading
• difficulty entering required Aadhaar information

Rural areas with poor internet access have been hit particularly hard.

2.Requirement of Relative’s Aadhaar

Some women — for example widows or whose husbands or fathers have died, were puzzled as the e-KYC system originally required Aadhaar details of a male relative for income verification.

To resolve these issues, the authorities are effecting changes to enable alternate Aadhaar details or offline support in local government offices.

3.Field Verification

To assist those who are unable to verify their credentials online, the government has asked anganwadi workers and local officials to go on field-level verification which would help in rectifying mistakes and ensure that deserving women were not excluded.

Fraud and Loss – The Importance of Verification

Nevertheless, a few incidents have pointed to the abuse of the system:

• Thousands of men had falsely ‘registered as women’ in order to take advantage of government payouts.
• Erroneous payments were made to officials as well as irregular beneficiaries, resulting in audits and suspensions.

These challenges underline why e-KYC and regular audits are essential for preserving the integrity of welfare initiatives.

Official Cautions and Safety Measures

To protect legitimate recipients, authorities have cautioned that:

• by accessing fake or unofficial websites that replicate the government portal.
• revealing personal Aadhaar or bank details to strangers.

We request them to only visit the official website of the government and do their e-KYC on it.

If anyone demands money to enable the completion of e-KYC, it is a scam, and women should inform the police.

Benefits Beyond Money

The scheme will directly transfer funds, but it also has more expansive aims:

• Encouraging women to open and operate bank accounts; Financial independence.
• Creating digitally literate society through an application of egovernment services.
• Complementing broader state level efforts for women empowerment and economic participation.

Conclusion — The Role of e-KYC in Empowerment

The Ladki Bahin Yojana is one overreaching step announced by the state government of Maharashtra towards financial help and empowerment to all women in the whole state. Through its e-KYC mandate, the scheme is designed to make the process transparent and efficient thereby reaching only those eligible beneficiaries.

While there have been hiccups along the way, including technical glitches and attempted fraud, the government has worked to add flexibility to the system by extending deadlines, providing verification in the field and issuing safety warnings.

For the ladies who are eligible, it is important to do e-KYC at your earliest as this will ensure you continue to get financial assistance and avail the full benefits of Ladki Bahin Yojana.

Also Read this: Gaon Ki Beti Yojana | PM Gati Shakti Yojana

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