Supreme Court Slams Maharashtra Government Over Ladki Bahin Scheme
Supreme Court Slams Maharashtra Government Over Ladki Bahin Scheme
In a scathing critique, the Supreme Court slammed the Maharashtra government for its handling of the Ladki Bahin scheme, calling out the state’s priorities and treatment of citizens’ rights. The rebuke came during a hearing on an old land dispute case in Pune, where the court had previously warned the government to provide adequate compensation to the landowner or risk shutting down the scheme.
Justice Gavai expressed frustration with the government’s lack of concrete action, despite the court’s warnings. “You have thousands of crores of rupees for ‘free schemes’, but no money to pay compensation to citizens,” he said. The court had earlier criticized the government for not providing fair compensation, referencing the Ladki Behna scheme as an example of misplaced priorities.
The government’s lawyers requested a three-week extension to pay the compensation, but Justice Gavai was unsympathetic. “If you need time, we will pass an interim order to stop the Ladki Behna scheme,” he warned. The court emphasized that citizens’ rights must be respected and compensation paid as per 2013 guidelines.
This is not the first time the Ladki Behna scheme has faced criticism. Media headlines had previously highlighted the court’s disapproval, leading to public scrutiny of the government’s actions. Today’s hearing only added to the pressure on the state government to take concrete steps towards resolving the issue.
