Mumbai
-Madhuri Adnal
The Maharashtra government has started crediting the May instalment of the Mukhyamantri Mazi Ladki Bahin Yojana, popularly known as the Ladki Bahin Yojana, in Maharashtra to eligible women, with transfers beginning on June 15 through the Direct Benefit Transfer system. Beneficiaries who meet the final eligibility conditions are receiving the monthly assistance directly in their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.
The latest payment comes after the state released the combined March and April instalments in May. This month’s transfer is being processed in phases, which means not every eligible beneficiary will receive the amount at the same time. Women who have not received an SMS alert have been advised to check their bank account statement or passbook before assuming that the payment has failed.
The Maharashtra government began crediting the May instalment of the Ladki Bahin Yojana on June 15 via DBT to 1.77 crore eligible women, after rejecting 70 lakh applications for not meeting criteria or due to incomplete details.
May instalment released after final beneficiary verification
According to official government data, around 1.77 crore women across Maharashtra were confirmed as eligible beneficiaries under the Ladki Bahin Yojana by the end of April. The number is significantly lower than the total applications received, as nearly 2.5 crore women had applied for the scheme from different districts of the state.
The reduction followed an extended verification exercise that examined applicant details across several parameters. Officials checked income records, family information, Aadhaar details, bank account data, residential proof and whether applicants were already receiving benefits under other government schemes. The scrutiny was aimed at ensuring that the scheme’s financial support reaches women who meet the notified eligibility rules.
The Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana is one of Maharashtra’s major women-focused welfare schemes. It provides monthly financial assistance to eligible women, with payments made through DBT to reduce middlemen and manual handling. For beneficiaries, the money is intended to support household needs, personal expenses and basic financial independence.
Why nearly 70 lakh applications were rejected
After the verification process, around 70 lakh women were declared ineligible for the scheme. The reasons varied from case to case. Some applicants did not meet the income criteria, while others had submitted incomplete or incorrect details. Duplicate applications and mismatches in documents also led to rejections during scrutiny.
In several cases, authorities found that applicants did not satisfy the scheme’s eligibility conditions after checking family and income information. The government treated the exercise as a major screening process to separate genuine beneficiaries from applicants who did not qualify under the rules. The final count was prepared only after this verification was completed.
The process also created uncertainty for many applicants, especially those whose documents were pending or whose e-KYC could not be completed on time. Several women had been waiting to know whether their application had been approved, rejected or held up because of technical issues.
Rural applicants were among those who faced practical difficulties during verification. Internet connectivity problems, Aadhaar-bank linking errors, mobile number changes and incomplete paperwork delayed the process for many. Some applicants also faced issues with online systems while trying to update or confirm their details.
What beneficiaries should do if no SMS is received
Beneficiaries should first remember that SMS alerts are not always immediate. A bank message may be delayed even after a payment has been credited. In some cases, alerts may not arrive if the mobile number linked with the bank account is inactive, changed or not properly updated in bank records.
Women who are on the final beneficiary list should check their bank account directly. They can use mobile banking, internet banking, an ATM mini statement or visit the bank branch to update their passbook. A passbook entry is often the most reliable way for many beneficiaries to confirm whether the DBT amount has been credited.
If the amount has not arrived, beneficiaries should ensure that their Aadhaar is linked to the correct bank account. DBT payments are usually routed through the bank account mapped with Aadhaar. If the account is closed, inactive or not linked properly, the transaction may be delayed or fail.
Applicants should also verify that their e-KYC and bank details are complete. Any mismatch in name, Aadhaar number, date of birth or bank account information can affect payment processing. Women who had earlier faced document-related objections should check their status through the official scheme channels or at authorised local assistance centres.
Why payments are being credited in phases
Large welfare transfers are often processed in batches because of the scale involved. With 1.77 crore eligible beneficiaries, payment files, bank validations and transaction confirmations take time. A phased release helps the government and banking system manage errors, failed transactions and account-level issues without disrupting the entire transfer cycle.
This also means that two eligible women in the same village or ward may receive the instalment on different dates. A delayed credit does not automatically mean rejection. Beneficiaries should wait for the transaction cycle to progress and check their account through reliable banking channels.
The latest instalment is important because it follows the finalisation of the beneficiary base after months of scrutiny. For women whose applications have been accepted, regular DBT credits will be a key test of the scheme’s delivery system. For those rejected, the reason for ineligibility will determine whether any correction or appeal process is available through official channels.
For now, eligible women should focus on verifying the credit in their bank accounts rather than relying only on SMS notifications. Since the May instalment has started moving through DBT from June 15, account statements, passbook updates and Aadhaar-bank linkage status will be the clearest indicators of payment success.
