Women's scheme 'Ladli Behna' an early success in Madhya Pradesh

The “Ladli Behna” scheme, launched to give Rs 1,000 per month to women in the age group 23-60, is getting initial success.

The government had estimated the registration of 10 million women under it and in the first 10 days, 60 per cent of them have come under it.

There are more than 25 million women voters in Madhya Pradesh and in such a situation this scheme can prove to be important in elections (Assembly elections are to take place late this year).

This is the reason the Congress has started making promises to this constituency.

Former chief minister Kamal Nath has said if the Congress comes back to power, the price of a domestic gas cylinder, important to a woman homemaker, will be reduced to Rs 500, and every woman will be given an allowance of Rs 1,500 a month (against the state government’s Rs 1,000).

The Congress has also talked about broadening the eligible category of women to 18-60 years.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan himself is monitoring the scheme and he keeps promoting it in different forums.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi said the state government was committed to the empowerment of women. Of the 21 women MLAs in the Assembly, 14 belong to the BJP.

In an earlier term as chief minister, Chouhan had started the “Ladli Laxmi” scheme. About 4.5 million girls are registered under it and Rs 373 crore has been distributed so far on that account.

Political analyst Sandeep Pauranik said: ‘‘Chouhan’s politics has been women-centric since the beginning.”