MUMBAI: To reduce its financial burden, the Maharashtra government has decided to tighten the norms for availing benefits under the Ladli Bahin scheme. The scheme provides poor and needy women with a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500.Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar clarified that the scheme will continue with amended guidelines. In the latest budget, the government earmarked Rs 33,000 crore for the scheme against the earlier promised Rs 43,000 crore. Under this scheme, 2.30 crore women currently receive benefits. As chief minister, Eknath Shinde launched the scheme before the last assembly elections and promised to hike the assistance to Rs 2,100 if they returned to power. Ajit Pawar recently admitted the state was facing a fund crunch and would honour the promise as and when the financial situation improved. However, sources said the state government intends to reduce the number of beneficiaries to ease the financial burden. Already, women owning four-wheelers and availing themselves of other benefits are excluded from the scheme.
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