Ladki Bahin Scheme: January Instalment Disbursement Delayed, When Can You Expect To Receive It

Several women across Maharashtra may have to wait longer than anticipated for the Ladki Bahin welfare scheme. In the state, a large-scale verification exercise is in process for this scheme.

Earlier, a wording issue led to mass confusion while registering for the scheme’s application. The question was framed as “Nobody in your family works for the government, right?” Many interpreted this wrongly and responded accordingly. Officials, in a report by The Times of India, stated that the January instalment is unlikely to be credited before mid-February. This is creating anxiety among the beneficiaries who have already faced delays in recent months.

Verification Drive For Ladki Bahin

The Ladki Bahin scheme provides eligible women with monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500. However, the government has held payments after discovering major discrepancies during the e-KYC verification process. The authorities are working to identify genuine beneficiaries before releasing the funds in the future. Orders have been sent to district collectors to conduct a fresh drive for the verification of the eligible beneficiaries. It is also reported that the government is unwilling to release the money until they have received a list of rightful beneficiaries.

The verification process was triggered after a large number of women complained about not receiving payments for several months. Many beneficiaries reported confusion and a lack of clarity despite contacting the helpline set up to address grievances.

Elections Add To The Delay

Apart from the verification, the timing of the local elections has also slowed the disbursement process. Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections are also scheduled on February 07, 2026, in 12 districts. The election guidelines have also limited the government’s ability to release the funds.

Earlier, the state government had planned to disburse this amount near Makar Sankranti; however, the state election commission objected to this.

As a result of this, officials now expect that beneficiaries will receive the pending instalments after the election process concludes and the verification process is also completed.

e-KYC Error Affected Lakhs of Women

One of the biggest setbacks of the scheme to date was an error in the e-KYC form that led to a huge mass of beneficiaries being wrongly classified as ineligible. Officials revealed that more than 24 lakh women were mistakenly marked ineligible, which immediately halted their monthly payments.

A question, “Nobody in your family works for the government, right?” was what started this digital confusion among the beneficiaries. The women and child development department acknowledged this mistake and is now working to correct the records on their end.

What Beneficiaries Can Expect Next

Officials have indicated that payments will once resume after the verification exercise is complete and election restrictions are no longer binding them. The government also emphasised how this delay is helping them identify the rightful recipients of this scheme.

As of now, beneficiaries are most likely to receive the January instalment after mid-February. With the hopes that the payments will stabilise once these issues are resolved.