Changes to the state government's flagship welfare scheme—Ladki Bahin Yojana—are on the cards. Reiterating that the state has no plan to wind up the welfare scheme aimed to empower women, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said, “Whenever a scheme is introduced, it requires constant repair (read amendments). We will make the required amendments.” Pawar, who also holds the finance portfolio, made this statement during his reply to the budget discussion in the state legislative assembly on Monday.

Many legislative members, during the discussion on the state budget, had raised questions over the scheme, especially about the timeline on when the government would increase the scheme amount as promised during the assembly poll campaign. There were questions on why the scrutiny of beneficiaries was started by the government and whether any action (like taking back the amount given to those found ‘ineligible’) would be taken.