MP Ministers Clash Over Ladli Behna Portal Reopening
Confusion erupts in Madhya Pradesh as ministers give conflicting statements on reopening the Ladli Behna Yojana registration portal.
A political storm has erupted in Madhya Pradesh following contradictory statements from two ruling party ministers regarding the reopening of the Ladli Behna portal. While one minister suggested that the registration window would open to include more women, another categorically denied any immediate plans to do so, leaving many beneficiaries in a state of confusion.
Conflicting Claims from the Cabinet
The controversy began when Minister of State Narendra Shivaji Patel indicated that the government was preparing to reopen the portal. According to Patel, the administration aims to register eligible women who were previously left out of the scheme.
"The portal will be reopened for them, and they will also be brought under the scheme," Patel had stated, noting that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has already issued internal instructions to assess how many women need to be included. While he did not provide a specific deadline, he confirmed that the process was being evaluated internally.
However, this stance was quickly countered by Women and Child Development Minister Nirmala Bhuria. On Thursday, Bhuria denied that any such plan was currently in motion. Addressing the discrepancy, she suggested that the previous statement might have been made in error.
"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," Bhuria said, clarifying that no official decision regarding fresh registrations had been announced.
Bhuria emphasized that the Chief Minister remains committed to women's empowerment, pointing out that Rs 1,500 had recently been transferred to beneficiaries via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Congress Accuses BJP of Misleading Women
The internal inconsistency within the BJP has provided significant ammunition for the opposition. Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari launched a scathing attack on the government, accusing the ruling party of using the scheme to mislead women for electoral gains.
Patwari alleged that the BJP had failed to fulfill its election promises. He pointed out that while the campaign suggested a benefit of Rs 3,000 per month, the current disbursement is only Rs 1,500. He further claimed that the government's promises only covered a fraction of the state's female population.
The Congress leader's key criticisms included:
- Broken Promises: Alleging that leaders like Narendra Modi and Shivraj Singh Chouhan betrayed women by not delivering the promised Rs 3,000 monthly.
- Misinformation: Highlighting the confusion caused by ministers giving different information about the portal.
- Political Motives: Claiming the contradictory statements are a tactic to secure votes through deception.
"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," Patwari remarked, adding that women would respond to this "betrayal" in the 2028 assembly elections.
About the Scheme
The Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana is a flagship program of the Madhya Pradesh government. It provides monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 to eligible women through direct bank transfers. At present, the scheme supports approximately 1.25 crore beneficiaries across the state.