CAG reports ₹3,541 crore overspending, budget slippages in Maharashtra govt’s Ladki Bahin program
A view of the crowd gathered during the ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’ program at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. File Photo: Ajit Pawar-X/ANI Photo
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged overspending to the tune of Rs 3,541.16 crore, parking of thousands of crores in escrow accounts and deficiencies in financial management in the implementation of the Maharashtra government’s flagship program Ladki Bahin.
The CAG State Finance Audit Report 2024-25, tabled in the state legislature on Friday, said the women and child development department did not provide any specific justification for the significant overspending.
The report said the women and child development department spent ₹33,237.24 crore against the approved budget of ₹29,693.09 crore, resulting in an overspend of ₹3,541.16 crore.
The report said a total grant of ₹29,693.09 crore has been made available for the scheme, including ₹26,200 crore through additional provisions and ₹3,490.75 crore reallocated from the Lek Ladki Yojana.
The CAG said an audit probe revealed that ₹15,586 crore drawn between January and March 2025 was transferred to virtual personal deposit accounts (VPDAs).
“This extensive selection suggests that the funds were not required for immediate use and were drawn from the treasury without real expenditure needs,” the report said.
Describing the practice as a serious financial irregularity, the CAG said drawing and parking funds in the VPDA without immediate demand was “contrary to the principles of budgetary discipline and financial propriety” and undermined legislative control over public finances.
The audit further found that the implementation of the scheme was characterized by “significant weaknesses in budget estimation, expenditure control and financial management”.
It also noted that spending on women’s social security had risen sharply from ₹261.78 crore in the previous year to over ₹33,500 crore, reflecting a “significant shift towards welfare-oriented transfers rather than capital asset formation”.
The Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, approved on June 28, 2024, aims to ensure economic independence for women. Under this scheme, eligible women between the ages of 21 and 65 receive ₹ 1,500 per month through direct benefit transfer.
The CAG recommended that for large DBT schemes like the Ladki Bahin Yojana, the department should ensure a realistic assessment of beneficiary coverage and fund requirements during budgeting to avoid unnecessary additional requirements or unwarranted overspending.
He also advised the government not to park funds in VPDA or similar accounts, saying that fund withdrawals should be strictly linked to genuine and immediate expenditure needs.
Published – 13 Jul 2026 09:13 IST