Rumours are swirling in Maharashtra that the Assembly elections may be delayed until the state government, led by Mahayuti, releases all four instalments of the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.
If this scenario unfolds, the elections for the 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly could potentially take place in December. This timeline is based on the assumption that the fourth instalment of the scheme will be released in October, as reported by Lokmat.
Is Mahayuti Stalling Before Assembly Polls?
The current term of the Maharashtra Assembly is set to end in November. Initially, it was anticipated that the Maharashtra Assembly elections would be announced around the same time as those in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir in October-November.
However, the Elections Commission of India (ECI) refrained from declaring the polls in Maharashtra, citing security concerns, inclement weather conditions including heavy rainfall, and the upcoming festive season with events like Ganesh Chaturthi and Diwali.
The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies, including Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), criticized the Election Commission for the delayed announcement. According to PTI, the Opposition accused the ruling Mahayuti coalition of wanting more time to deceive the people with false promises.
Opposition leader Aaditya Thackeray hinted at ulterior motives, suggesting that the EC was giving the ruling party time to engage in corrupt practices under the guise of governance.
The Election Commission responded by stating that they could manage multiple elections simultaneously and that the Maharashtra polls could be conducted within six months of the current assembly term ending.
Government Update on Ladki Bahin Yojana: When will eligible women who applied after July 31 receive benefits?
Amidst the speculation, the Maharashtra government recently announced a crucial update regarding the scheme. The report mentioned that ₹3,000 had already been credited to the accounts of women who applied before July 31, covering July and August.
For women who submitted applications post-July 31, a total of ₹4,500 will be disbursed to their accounts for the months of July, August, and September, as reported by Mumbai Tak.
Maharashtra Women and Child Development Minister Aditi Tatkare highlighted on social media that all eligible women under the Chief Minister’s Ladki Bahin Yojana scheme who applied by July 31 have been granted benefits.
Tatkare further elaborated that the verification process for applications received after July 31 is ongoing at the district level. Once the approved applications are validated by the district authorities, the funds will be transferred to the beneficiaries’ accounts.
During the verification process, women will receive confirmation messages upon approval of their applications. Subsequently, the funds will be deposited in their accounts in September, with the potential release of the fourth instalment in October.
Rollout of Unified Pension Scheme by Maharashtra Government
Over the weekend, the Maharashtra cabinet decided to implement the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) introduced by the central government, ensuring that state government employees with over 25 years of service receive pensions equivalent to 50% of their last drawn salary.
The employees covered under the UPS will also be entitled to post-retirement inflation-linked increments in their pension amount, enhancing their financial security.
For more details on the Unified Pension Scheme, you can refer to the announcement made by PIB India on Twitter:
Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)
🔹 #Cabinet approved introduction of Unified Pension Scheme to improve the National Pension System (NPS) for Central Government employees
🔹 UPS to be given effect from 01.04.2025
🔹 Employees who have adequate service to get an assured pension… pic.twitter.com/IVFmYlAafJ
— PIB India (@PIB_India) August 25, 2024
