Maiya Samman Scheme Update: Government to Recover Funds from Ineligible Women Beneficiaries

Major Crackdown in Jharkhand Over Double Benefits Under Welfare Schemes

The Jharkhand government’s Maiya Samman Scheme, initially launched to empower women economically, is now facing a major challenge. Several beneficiaries have reportedly violated the scheme’s eligibility norms by availing benefits from multiple welfare schemes simultaneously. The government has now decided to recover the disbursed funds from all such women who breached the eligibility criteria.

This decision is expected to impact thousands of women across the state and aims to raise awareness, ensuring that only eligible beneficiaries receive benefits under welfare programs in the future.

Who Will Have to Return the Scheme’s Money?

The government has clarified that women who availed benefits under the Maiya Samman Scheme while simultaneously drawing funds from other pension schemes — such as widow pension, old-age pension, or other social security schemes — will be required to return the full amount received under the Maiya Samman Scheme.

Thanks to the integration of Aadhaar verification, it has become easier for authorities to identify these cases. District-level reports are currently being compiled to initiate the recovery process against beneficiaries who drew dual benefits.

The misuse came to light after Aadhaar-based registration and verification made it possible to detect women receiving funds from two schemes simultaneously. Consequently, block-level investigations have been ordered across all districts to create a comprehensive list of such beneficiaries.

Action Against Beneficiaries and Changes in Scheme Benefits

Initially, under the Maiya Samman Scheme, eligible women were receiving ₹1,000 per month. However, from December 2024 onwards, the government increased the monthly assistance to ₹2,500 to provide better financial support.

While the increased benefit significantly helped many women, some exploited the system by taking advantage of both ongoing pension schemes and the Maiya Samman Scheme. In response, the government has now adopted a zero-tolerance policy and initiated strict action to recover the undue payments.

Why Was the Eligibility Ignored?

Many women reportedly applied for the Maiya Samman Scheme without fully understanding the eligibility criteria. The scheme had clearly stated that any woman already receiving benefits from a pension scheme was ineligible to apply.

However, due to errors in the verification process, some ineligible women managed to become beneficiaries. Now, the government has decided to not only reclaim the funds but also remove these beneficiaries from the scheme altogether to maintain the integrity of welfare programs.