Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 15 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Women and Child Development Minister Nirmala Bhuria on Thursday denied any immediate plan to reopen the registration portal of the Ladli Behna Yojana, contradicting a statement by Minister of State Narendra Shivaji Patel, who had said that the portal would be reopened to include eligible women beneficiaries.
The differing statements by the two ministers have triggered a political exchange, with Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari accusing the BJP government of misleading women over the scheme.
Speaking about the possibility of reopening the portal, Bhuria said, “Currently, there is nothing of that sort. Our government and Chief Minister Mohan Yadav are committed to the empowerment of women. Yesterday, the Chief Minister transferred Rs 1,500 to Ladli Behna beneficiaries through DBT. This has been continuing since the government was formed. We, however, cannot say anything at present (regarding reopening of portal).”
Responding to Patel’s earlier statement, Bhuria said that ministers sometimes make statements in the flow of a conversation, reiterating that no decision had been announced regarding fresh registrations.
“Sometimes, our members say things in the flow of a conversation. Though our government is committed to providing financial assistance every month. Whenever there is any development, you will certainly be informed,” she added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Minister Narendra Shivaji Patel had said that the government was planning to reopen the portal to register eligible women who had not been included in the scheme.
"Chief Minister Mohan Yadav transferred the amount to all Ladli Behna beneficiaries with a single click. He has also announced that the names of women who have been left out of the Ladli Behna Yojana will be registered on the portal in the near future. The portal will be reopened for them, and they will also be brought under the scheme,” Patel had said.
When asked about the timeline for reopening the portal, Patel clarified that no deadline had been fixed yet.
“There is no timeline at present, but Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has issued instructions to assess how many women have been left out and how their registration can be carried out. Instructions in this regard have been issued internally,” he said.
Meanwhile, Congress state president Jitu Patwari criticised the BJP government, alleging that women had been misled over the financial assistance promised under the scheme.
“Narendra Modi and Shivraj Singh Chouhan have betrayed the women under the Ladli Behna scheme. The guarantee was for Rs 3,000 a month during the last assembly poll. There are more than four crore women, and they said they would provide benefits to one crore women while betraying the remaining three crore. Even then, the promise was Rs 3,000, but they are giving Rs 1,500,” Patwari said.
Targeting the government over the conflicting statements, he added, “One minister says the portal will be reopened, while another says it will remain closed. This is a message of misleading women to secure votes. The Congress party has repeatedly raised this issue, saying that the BJP is a government that betrays people. Women will give this government an answer in the 2028 assembly poll.”
The Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana is a flagship scheme of the Madhya Pradesh government under which eligible women receive monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 through direct benefit transfer. Currently, there are around 1.25 cr women beneficiaries under the scheme. (ANI)
MP Ministers issue contradictory statements over Ladli Behna portal reopening; Congress accuses BJP of misleading women
