(wl 3760) Navigating Cash Transfer Schemes: Some Evidence from Maharashtra’s Ladki Bahin Scheme

The Maharashtra government’s Ladki Bahin Scheme is a recent addition to India’s cash transfer initiatives, aimed at empowering women and stimulating local economies. Despite its goals, the scheme has faced criticism for offering only temporary relief, neglecting structural challenges, and being fiscally unsustainable. This study addresses these critiques by capturing the perspectives of recipient women, often overlooked in broader debates on cash transfers versus in-kind subsidies. Through a small-scale survey, the study explores recipients' experiences, procedural challenges, and utilization of funds. Findings reveal that the scheme provides necessary financial support, however modest, and proves vital for recipients' expenditures. While concerns about fiscal sustainability persist, the budgetary impact remains within an acceptable range. Public criticism appears linked to the scheme's timing, perceived as politically motivated, yet its affirmative outcomes cannot be dismissed. By highlighting recipient voices, this study reframes the narrative, underscoring the scheme's positive externality, and tangible benefits for the women.