Full Breakdown
Madhya Pradesh’s Ladli Behna Scheme: Rising Costs and Shrinking Beneficiaries
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event – Chief Minister Highlights Financial Burden
On October 4 2026, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav told a Bundeli audience at the “Bundeli Samagam” in Bhopal that the Ladli Behna cash-transfer programme had become “a very costly affair” and that he had not foreseen the heavy fiscal impact of administering it. His remarks responded to a question from content creator Binnu Rani about future benefits for younger girls.
Background & Context – From Election Promise to State-wide Welfare Tool
The Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana was announced on January 28 2023 by then-Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and launched on March 5. It initially provided INR1,000 per month to women aged 21-60 whose family income was below INR2.5 lakh annually. Payments rose to INR1,250 in October 2023 and to INR1,500 in November 2025 under Yadav’s administration. The BJP manifesto pledged a further increase to INR3,000 within five years.
Timeline
- January 28 2023 – Scheme announced.
- March 5 – Formal launch.
- June 2023 – First instalment transferred.
- October 2023 – Payment increased to INR1,250.
- November 2025 – Payment increased to INR1,500.
- October 4 2026 – CM Yadav’s comment on cost.
- September 1 2026 – Beneficiary count reported to have fallen further.
- September 16 2026 – High Court sought government response to a petition seeking closure of the scheme.
Data & Statistics
- Beneficiaries: ? 1.31 crore women in Oct 2023; ? 1.25 crore by Jan 2026; further decline by Sep 1 2026 (exact figure not released).
- Annual fiscal impact: NDTV estimates INR22,680 crore per year at the INR1,500 level.
- Budget allocation: FY 2026-27 set at INR23,882 crore.
- Disbursements: Total outlays exceed INR58,000 crore since inception.
Official Statements & Responses
- Mohan Yadav – Called the programme “very costly” and said he “did not anticipate” the burden.
- Nirmala Bhuria (Women and Child Development Minister) – Said no timetable exists for reopening registrations for newly eligible women.
- Madhya Pradesh High Court – On September 16 2026 ordered the state to submit responses to a petition questioning the scheme’s financial sustainability.
Criticism & Opposition
- Mahesh Parmar, Congress MLA, asked when registrations for newly eligible women would resume.
- Chhagan Bhujbal, NCP leader, claimed in Oct 2025 that all state departments faced a fund crunch because of a similar Ladki Bahin scheme in Maharashtra.
- Ganesh Naik, state minister, acknowledged the scheme strained finances but asserted it would not be discontinued.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Cost estimates differ: NDTV’s INR22,680 crore annual expense versus the FY 2026-27 allocation of INR23,882 crore.
- Beneficiary numbers lack a precise figure for the September 2026 decline.
- The petition calls for an “independent and comprehensive assessment,” highlighting the absence of publicly available evaluation data.
Verbatim Quotes
- “You have no idea the Ladli Behna scheme turned out to be a very costly affair. Little did I know that becoming Chief Minister would bring such a heavy financial burden,” — Mohan Yadav.
What’s Next – Legal and Administrative Outlook
The High Court’s order requires the state to detail the scheme’s fiscal impact, borrowing, and debt exposure. No deadline for reopening registrations or revising policy has been announced. Future court rulings and legislative debate will decide whether the Ladli Behna Yojana continues unchanged or is restructured.