Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has described the state government’s flagship Ladli Behna scheme as a “very costly affair”, saying he had not realised how heavy the financial burden would be when he became Chief Minister.
The remark came during a light-hearted exchange with Binnu Rani, a Bundeli content creator from Chhatarpur, who asked the Chief Minister what his government planned to do for the Binnus, or daughters, after doing so much for their Jijjis, or sisters.
“You have no idea the Ladli Behna scheme turned out to be a very costly affair. The remark came during a light-hearted exchange with Binnu Rani, a Bundeli content creator from Chhatarpur, who asked the Chief Minister what his government planned to do for the Binnus, or daughters, after doing so much for their Jijjis, or sisters. “Binnu, this is an insider matter. I had no idea that becoming Chief Minister would entail such a heavy financial hit,” Yadav replied. The issue has also reached the Madhya Pradesh Assembly. Congress MLA Mahesh Parmar had asked the government when registrations for newly eligible women would reopen. Women and Child Development Minister Nirmala Bhuria replied that no timeframe could be given.
The Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana was announced by the then Shivraj Singh Chouhan government on January 28, 2023, months before the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election, and formally launched on March 5 that year. The first monthly instalment was transferred in June 2023. Women were initially promised Rs 1,000 a month. The assistance was subsequently increased to Rs 1,250 and then, in November 2025, to Rs 1,500.
Little did I know that becoming Chief Minister would bring such a heavy financial burden,” Yadav said at a Bundeli Samagam held at Ravindra Bhavan in Bhopal.
