“Are we not ‘ladki bahins’ too?” wonder some women from migrant families of Chinchpada, Airoli in Thane. When the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana was launched, these low-income families hoped to benefit from the scheme, which promises women a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,500 if their family’s annual income does not exceed Rs 2,50,000.
This initiative seems like it would offer some relief to low-income migrant worker families in Chinchpada. However, it raises the question: who qualifies as a ‘Ladki Bahin’ (ladki bahin means dear sister)?
A key barrier is the lack of essential documentation, such as Aadhaar cards, birth certificates, and ration cards — requirements tied to numerous employment opportunities, government schemes, and education services. The Ladki Bahin Yojana is just one example, but the lack of documents proves to be a stumbling block in their progress time and again.
Since 2020, Dira Foundation has been working closely with the people of Chinchpada, in Airoli, Thane, focusing our initiatives on supporting approximately 50 to 70 families in the community. Through this work, we have uncovered ongoing challenges that hinder residents from achieving a dignified livelihood and stable lifestyle.
Accessing Ladki Bahin and other social schemes
To understand the difficulties people face in accessing schemes, we conducted a survey of 20 families in Chinchpada. We spoke to people from various circumstances; families who had all the required documents, others who had missing or outdated paperwork, and those who lacked documentation altogether.
We found a gap between the schemes, which remain on paper, and the ground reality. The reasons behind these gaps are multifaceted, rooted in class dynamics, migrant labour policies, gender discrimination, and a lack of awareness due to insufficient support from the concerned authorities.
Read more: Supporting women and children from bastis
One of the main eligibility criteria for the Ladki Bahin Yojana is proof of residency of over 15 years in the state. Since many families have migrated to Mumbai for work, even though they have been residing for more than 15 years in Maharashtra, many do not have documents like ration cards to prove the same or have only had the opportunity to get it made in the last few years.
Another requirement for the scheme is an Aadhaar card with a local address in Maharashtra. Many residents shared stories of bureaucratic difficulties in updating their Aadhaar card information with their latest address, or linking it to their bank account or phone numbers. This further prevented them from applying for the scheme. There was a general sentiment of frustration with everyone we have been speaking to.
Gender imbalance in record-keeping
Navin Kavethiya (name changed) lost all his documents in the 2005 Mumbai floods, including his birth certificate. Since he works in clothes trading, it does not affect his day to day income, but this lack of documentation will be major a roadblock for him and those dependent on him in accessing government schemes and absorption into the job sector.
Busy with his daily work and responsibilities, Navin does not see an easy (or quick) resolution to his problem anytime soon. It is not easy for him to leave his work for a day or two and dedicate the time required to stand in various queues at multiple government offices. This would mean a loss of two days’ wages.
The plight of women is even worse. We observed a striking imbalance in the availability of documents between men and women. While men and boys typically have their paperwork in order, women and girls are often overlooked, with their documentation being treated as less urgent or unimportant. For example, Raghini Waghela (name changed) has no documents at all—no birth certificate, Aadhaar card, or ration card. Having recently given birth, her lack of documentation puts her child’s future at risk as well.
In another case, the wife of our community centre’s landlord does not possess an Aadhaar card. Similarly, Pooja Bhojaya’s (name changed) estranged husband refuses to hand over her documents, leaving her bank account inactive and making it nearly impossible to secure identification for her young child. This discrepancy highlights a form of gender discrimination, where women face neglect in securing essential identification, and any economic benefits obtained thereof.
Read more: From India’s urban landscape: The aspirations and struggles of migrant workers
Gaps in effective implementation, inadequate communication
Local workers at the balwadis assisted people in filling out the application forms, and some families who applied in September were selected for the scheme.
Manoj Kharva, a community leader, successfully enrolled his wife in the scheme because their documentation was in order. However, many of his relatives and neighbours’ applications were denied as the application window unexpectedly closed in mid-October.
Even the balwadi workers who filled the forms were unaware of the deadlines, raising concerns about the seriousness of the government’s claims to work towards empowering the ones in need. Many people who applied in the second week of October had their applications rejected. There is confusion about whether the offline process for the forms is still open. We are in the process of verifying this information.
The experience of these women raises an important question: why are there such rigid timelines on schemes meant to support women from marginalised communities? Moreover, do we really have a plan for a situation like Covid where elections did not take place for three years and there was no Corporator at the ward level to sign the affidavits for locals to prove that they are residents? Our NGO has not been able to make essential documents for three years for some individuals due to this reason.
Who is truly benefiting?
Manoj pointed out that the government is not really asking for income certificates to verify applicants’ financial backgrounds, which makes the application process easier for people in his area.
However, this raises concerns about how eligibility for the scheme is being determined. When we inquired within our personal networks, we found that even individuals from privileged backgrounds were benefiting from the scheme.
Meanwhile, those from marginalised communities, the very people for whom the scheme was designed; are struggling to meet basic eligibility requirements like having proper documentation. In contrast, those coming from privileged economic backgrounds having complete documentation, information, and societal visibility are reaping the benefits meant for the poor.
Not much has changed and the underprivileged still turn to exploitative loans of moneylenders to tide over a crisis like a hospitalisation.
Read more: Without documents, most migrant workers’ children find access to education elusive
Is a better life a distant dream for ladki bahins and others?
Many individuals have lost track of their essential documents due to reasons similar to those mentioned above, which directly impacts their access to critical services. Their children’s education suffers, they miss out on medical support from both government and private insurance schemes, and they are unable to tap into government benefits, food rations or secure formal employment. This creates an invisible barrier—a “glass ceiling”—that limits their ability to improve their lives or access any benefits offered by the government.
We must critically examine these claims of development and assess how effectively these schemes are being implemented for the communities they are meant to serve. Do these initiatives genuinely support marginalised groups, or do they further widen the gap, pushing these communities deeper into a vicious cycle of poverty?
Lessons from Ladki Bahin scheme: Call to action
| Make schemes accessible to marginalised communities. Prioritise this at the national level before launching initiatives that may never reach those most in need. Carry out regular in-depth research to find gaps in the implementation of existing policies. Targeted efforts are needed to raise awareness and assist marginalised individuals in obtaining important documents through documentation camps. Civil society organisations must demand accountability from policymakers and continue to shine light on these loopholes which hinder the poor. |