That changed when she enrolled in the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, one of India's biggest state cash-transfer schemes. Bawaskar is one of more than 26 million women enrolled in the scheme, which is now under scrutiny over its implementation. Last month, India's national auditor said Maharashtra's Women and Child Development Department overspent its authorised budget by 35.41bn rupees, spending a total of 332.37bn rupees on Ladki Bahin in its first financial year. When Maharashtra launched Ladki Bahin in June 2024, it said the monthly payments would boost women's financial independence and help families meet their everyday expenses. The scheme covered eligible women aged 21 to 65 from lower-income households, excluding income-tax payers, government employees and families already receiving similar welfare benefits.