India, June 1 -- The number of beneficiaries under the Mahayuti government's much-hyped Ladki Bahin Yojana has dropped by nearly 8 million compared to August-September 2024, when the scheme was launched. For the months of March and April, payments under the scheme were made to 16.6 million women, compared to 24.6 million during the launch, officials said.

"Only 16.6 million of the beneficiaries enrolled under the scheme completed their e-KYC, even though the deadline was extended by 4-5 months," an official explained. The number of beneficiaries was not expected to increase further, he said.

Under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, launched in the run-up to the 2024 assembly polls, the state government provides financial assista...