Plea in M.P. High Court seeks closure of Ladli Behna scheme over its financial cost; notice issued to government

A former Congress councillor has filed a petition in the Madhya Pradesh High Court seeking the closure of the Ladli Behna Scheme, which provides eligible women with a monthly allowance of ₹1,500. The petition, filed by Sudha Dubey, questions the financial liability of the scheme on the State's exchequer and accuses it of being an election-related freebie.

The scheme, launched by the BJP government in March 2023, was initially set at ₹1,000 per month, which was increased to ₹1,250 per month in October of the same year before the Assembly polls. The BJP had also promised to increase the amount to ₹3,000 per month in their poll manifesto. As of November 2025, the scheme benefits around 1.31 crore women and has seen one hike since the elections.

The petition demands that the government share details of the financial liability of the scheme, which the Division Bench of Justices G.S. Ahluwalia and Anuradha Shukla has issued notices to the State authorities to provide their responses. The petition also raises concerns over the government's financial health, citing the use of market borrowings and State development loans, as well as continuing debt and interest liabilities.

Dubey terms the scheme an "election freebie rather than a welfare scheme" and argues that the ₹1,500 amount is insufficient to run a household and lacks evidence of long-term economic empowerment or self-reliance for women. Instead, she advocates for skill development and employment opportunities. Advocate Anil Kumar Mishra, representing Dubey, questions the use of public money for such announcements and direct cash transfers, urging the state to focus on education, health, employment, roads, irrigation, electricity, and sustainable development.