With Maharashtra Assembly elections scheduled to be held on November 20, the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana has become a political flashpoint between the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Meanwhile, The Free Press Journal sought to understand the views of women voters on this scheme. While some said the government should first focus on issues concerning women, others questioned whether the scheme would be operational even after the polls.
Ragini More, a resident of Tingre Nagar, "By giving ₹1,500 per month, the government is making women disabled. Instead, the government should focus on providing education and employment to women and make them capable enough to earn ₹1.5 lakh per month. ₹1,500 is a bare minimum amount for survival. There are many government schemes such as Stand-Up India and Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana but the question arises on the efficacy of such schemes and if the women are getting benefits of such schemes, then why there is a need for Ladki Bahin Yojana?"
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Manjushree Gesge, resident of Bibwewadi, expressed, "The scheme is good but should not be closed post-election. There are rumours in society that the scheme will be stopped post-election due to the unavailability of enough funds. It can change the minds of women suffering from financial support. The government should bring more initiatives for women. We will vote this time to change the government as domestic items have become so expensive. ₹1,500 is not enough to fulfil our requirement. Government should plan to reduce inflation."
Pushpa Mishra, a resident of Raviwar Peth said, "The Ladki Bahin scheme could have an impact in this election. However, in the Peth areas, the major problem is traffic congestion. Sometimes ambulances find it difficult to reach the hospital in time. Also, along with the backward classes, the government should think about the safety and security of women."
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Anjali Rawalu, a resident of Sahakar Nagar stated, "In this election, we will vote for the candidates after analysing their ability and which party he/she belongs to. Apart from Ladki Bahin Yojana, there are so many schemes but none has benefitted us. So many candidates won the election on the party name but they had no planning to work on the ground-level issues. We will vote for development. "
Neeta Prakash Pawar, a resident of Nana Peth alleged, "Water cut and low pressure is one of the serious issues. It doesn't matter who is going to win but the elected candidate should find out the appropriate solution. There are so many private water tankers which are being run by the politicians or their aides. Similarly, another issue is the encroachment of the roads. The illegal vendors have been encroaching on the footpath and even roads across the city. Multiple food stalls are being run without a licence because of the involvement of political powers. "