CAG flags ₹3,541 crore excess spend, budgetary lapses in Maharashtra Govt’s Ladki Bahin scheme
The Comptroller and Auditor General reported that Maharashtra’s Ladki Bahin scheme overspent by ₹3,541.16 crore, exceeding its authorized budget. The audit highlighted large withdrawals placed in Virtual Personal Deposit Accounts without immediate expenditure needs, calling it a breach of budgetary discipline. The CAG recommended realistic budgeting and prohibiting the parking of funds in such accounts for future schemes.
- ▪The Women and Child Development Department spent ₹33,237.24 crore on the scheme against an authorized budget of ₹29,693.09 crore, creating an excess of ₹3,541.16 crore.
- ▪₹15,586 crore drawn between January and March 2025 was transferred to Virtual Personal Deposit Accounts, indicating funds were not required for immediate use.
- ▪The audit found significant deficiencies in budget estimation, expenditure control, and financial management for the scheme.
- ▪The CAG advised realistic beneficiary coverage assessments and prohibiting the parking of funds in VPDAs for large DBT schemes.
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The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has flagged excess expenditure of Rs 3,541.16 crore, parking of thousands of crores in deposit accounts and deficiencies in financial management in the implementation of the Maharashtra government's flagship Ladki Bahin scheme.The CAG State Finances Audit Report 2024-25, tabled in the state legislature on Friday, noted that the Women and Child Development Department did not provide any specific justification for the substantial excess expenditure.The report stated that the Women and Child Development Department spent ₹33,237.24 crore on the scheme against the authorised budget of ₹29,693.09 crore, resulting in an excess expenditure of ₹3,541.16 crore.
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