Bhopal/Silwani/Budhni/Sidhi: Wearing vivid pink sarees, Sunita Bai, Sugan Bai and Krishna Bai take hurried however assured steps on their means again residence from the principle sq. of Budhni city in Madhya Pradesh.
The new November solar makes the afternoon insufferable, however for Sunita Bai it has been a fruitful journey as she has withdrawn Rs 500 from the Rs 1,250 credited to her account as an instalment beneath the Ladli Behna Yojana.
“I was yet to receive my wages and urgently needed some cash. With money credited every month, there is some cushion to fall back on in times of crises,” she stated.
Whereas Sunita works as a day by day wager within the close by fields, Sugan’s household owns a small retailer on the village sq. and Krishna Bai is a homemaker. All three are beneficiaries of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BJP) authorities’s Ladli Behna Yojana. For the three ladies, the month-to-month sum of Rs. 1,250 every of them receives beneath the scheme is nothing wanting a ‘blessing’ that has eased the monetary stress again residence.
The scheme was introduced by Chouhan on 5 March and the primary installment of Rs 1,000 was credited to 12 million beneficiaries on 12 June. At present, it has 1.31 crore beneficiaries, in line with the state’s women and baby growth commissioner R.R. Bhosle.
All ladies aged between 21 and 60, with lower than 5 acres of land and an annual revenue of Rs 2.5 lakh or much less, are eligible to use beneath the scheme.
The scheme is being touted as a “game changer” by the BJP authorities with celebration leaders declaring that it has helped tide over to some extent the over two-decade-long anti-incumbency it faces.
Nevertheless, former chief minister and senior Congress chief Kamal Nath has termed the scheme the BJP authorities’s handout. He identified that the individuals of MP realise that the BJP has solely considered them after 18 years.
Girls comprise 48.20 p.c of the 5.39 crore voters in Madhya Pradesh, in line with Election Fee knowledge and it’s believed that they’ve proven help to the BJP through the years which can hopefully improve “substantially” due to the scheme. The state goes to polls on 17 November and the votes can be counted 3 December.
Whereas the scheme has put cash in ladies’s accounts, it has left a bit of males uneasy, even resentful. Many males ThePrint spoke to stated that the cash ought to have been given in another type and never solely to ladies.
A bit of girls beneficiaries additionally spoke of challenges in availing of advantages beneath the scheme, or complained of getting been “left out”.
Final week, in an interview with ThePrint, senior BJP chief and Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia additionally countered Congress objections towards authorities schemes by saying: “It has been a consistent theme throughout his (Chouhan’s) tenure…It started with a Lakshmi scheme to prevent infanticide that has resulted in a lowering of the IMR [infant mortality rate] …once the girls start going to school and perform well, they are given a scooty. The third step (is) when a girl gets married, leaves her maternal home to start a new life. The state government is present in that wedding through the Kanyadaan Yojana and the fourth, and a logical extension of that is the Laadli Benha scheme [for financial assistance].”
A senior authorities official, in the meantime, identified that the scheme was a pure development of the women-centric schemes within the state. “It was the next step towards empowerment of women. The scheme is not a dole out, we are looking at empowering women. Earlier, the focus was on making their life easier when we gave subsidised LPG cylinders. Women are confined to home, but we have conceptualised the scheme in a way that the money is directly transferred to accounts of the women and can only be withdrawn with their consent,” the official stated.
He added: “Real empowerment has come with husbands taking their wife on the bike to withdraw money from the account. At the same time, women will also have a say in how that money will be spent.”
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Banking on ‘silent voters’
The BJP’s confidence concerning the scheme forward of the elections in all probability stems from the truth that ladies are believed to have performed a big function within the BJP surge within the nation through the years. In truth, proper after the 2020 elections in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had thanked the ladies within the state. Referring to them because the “silent” voters, he stated this group is repeatedly voting for the BJP.
BJP leaders defined that CM Chouhan earned the moniker of “Mama” (maternal uncle) as a result of a lot of women-centric welfare schemes launched by his authorities — the Ladli Laxmi Yojana (a monetary scheme to profit women), distribution of cycles to ladies, and the Kanya Vivah Scheme, to call a couple of.
“There is no doubt that anti-incumbency and voter fatigue is a factor. But we have tried to address it through these schemes and the way they have been implemented smoothly will help us in reaching out to the women voters especially,” stated a senior BJP chief.
Forward of Raksha Bandhan in August, Chouhan elevated the installments beneath Ladli Behna Yojana from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,250. The MP authorities has allotted Rs 8,000 crore for this scheme on this 12 months’s funds.
Lauding the efforts of CM Chouhan, Scindia requested if the scheme was not so nice, “Why would Mr Kamal Nath come out with a Rs 1,500 scheme (for women)?”
Forward of the meeting elections, Nath has reportedly been promising advantages for girls if the Congress is voted to energy within the state. The celebration in its ballot manifesto, launched in October, additionally promised to “give [LPG] cylinders at Rs 500” and a Rs 1500 pension for girls.
BJP leaders ThePrint spoke to admitted that on floor some males are “uneasy” as ladies are the beneficiaries of most schemes introduced in by the Chouhan authorities, however contended that it’s going to not be a deciding issue within the elections. “Naturally, some men feel that the money should be given to the family and not just to the woman of the household. But ultimately, they know that the entire household is benefited from it. Also, we have a number of schemes for youth, farmers etc., and we are making them aware of that,” stated a senior celebration chief.
‘Empowering women’
Nevertheless, males ThePrint spoke to within the state continued to sound disgruntled.
Hemraj Asre, a day by day wager in Budhni identified, “Instead of putting money in our account, the cylinders should have been given at a subsidized rate. Why this show off?”
In keeping with Rajesh Mangol, a driver in Raisen district, the quantity of Rs 1,000–Rs 1,250 shouldn’t be sufficient, contemplating the unemployment ranges within the state. “If not us, our children should get something. There are no jobs and this money alone is not sufficient. They are giving Rs 1,000 to my wife and after elections, they will increase the cylinder cost, diesel cost and in fact, they will end up taking back Rs 2,000,” he alleged.
He added: “I manage the (household) finances so I know this Rs 1,000-1,250 is nothing but a lollipop.”
![Men at a tea shop in Budhni | Praveen Jain | ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/MP-men.png)
“Ye women empowerment kaise hua? Arre bhai rozgaari do. Unko saksham banao apna kuch chhota mota business start karein. Paise nikalne bhi hum hee unko bike pe le kar jaate hai. Humare liye sarkar kya kar rahi hai (How is this women empowerment? Give them employment. Equip them to start a small business. Even for withdrawing money, we have to ferry them on our bikes. What is the government doing for us?),” stated Kuldeep Singh, a Bhopal resident who ThePrint staff met in Budhni, together with a gaggle of “unemployed men” at round 1 pm on Wednesday.
However for a big part of girls in Budhni, CM Chouhan’s residence constituency, the cash obtained beneath the Ladli Behna Yojana has been “a big relief” and has empowered them to help their household.
“Those men who do not earn are the ones talking against the scheme as they have to ask women for money…But our husbands are satisfied with what Shivraj Singh Chouhan has done,” claimed Sona Kevat, a Budhni resident.
She added: “I don’t have to depend on anyone to save money for my daughter. I use the money from Ladli Behna for it.”
“Some men are unhappy because the money is not going in their hands. They have to, probably for the first time, ask women when they run out of cash. They are not used to it. But I know whatever they may say, they know that the money is coming to the family only so in their heart, they are happy,” she additional stated.
Annu Rajak, a resident of Sonvarsha village in Sidhi district, has been getting an instalment beneath the Ladli Behna Yojana over the previous 5 months. Together with her husband making simply Rs 250 per day as a day by day wager, she has been utilising the cash to pay the varsity charges of her youngsters.
“It is not every day that one ends up earning Rs 250, some days you go without work. In such times, the money under the scheme has been useful for me,” she stated.
In keeping with Sugan Bai (quoted above), “The benefits of Ladli Behna Yojana are a lot, we get money every month and it helps us in running our house smoothly. We can care for our children better, and we are happier. Now, we also hear that they will be transferring Rs 3,000 soon and our Diwali will be celebrated with much more joy.”
“My husband is the sole breadwinner of the family and the day he falls ill, it is this money that enables me to take him to the doctor,” stated Sunita Bai (quoted above).
![A woman in Ghana village of Silwani assembly constituency | Neelam Pandey | ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/MP-Silwani.png)
Dr. Veerandra Singh Matsaniya, assistant professor of Economics at Harisingh Gour College in Sagar, defined that the distinction within the reactions of the 2 genders needs to be seen from the attitude of rampant poverty and lack of schooling.
“Women have always been confined to their homes in these regions and with rampant poverty, even a little sum in their hand is empowering (for them) as they are able to meet the immediate demands of their family. But it is this very lack of awareness or education that is restricting them to look at the larger situation where the money is incremental and it isn’t essentially empowering them as a proper employment opportunity would,” he stated.
“MP has a largely rural set up and in these parts, the society is yet to reach a point when women are seen as equal contributors and as breadwinners. The men feel they should be getting money in their hands. Women getting direct money, as per their mentality, puts them at a disadvantage…despite working at home, a woman’s contribution is never considered,” he added.
For a lot of ladies who wouldn’t have a daily revenue and rely on their husbands for day by day bills, the cash they obtain beneath Ladli Behna Yojana is their “earned money”.
When requested in regards to the resentment amongst males as regards to scheme, Krishna Kevat in Budhni identified, “Men are resenting the scheme as they are not getting any money.”
In the meantime, ladies have additionally crammed types of the schemes that Congress had introduced in power. “Who doesn’t want a fixed amount of money every month? I’m happy with the Ladli Behna scheme but have also filled up the form of the Congress which has promised Rs 1,500 and a subsidised cylinder too,” stated Sugna Bai.
At the same time as this offers hope to the Congress for the approaching polls, the celebration can also be taking part in up the truth that all eligible ladies aren’t getting advantages beneath the scheme.
“Paisa mere haath mein hai. Congress ne kahaa hai wo aur zyada, Rs 1,500, denge aur saath mein LPG cylinder. Ab soch kar, dekh samjh kar vote karenge (I got this money. The Congress has promised they will give Rs 1,500 per month and also an LPG cylinder. So I will think before voting),” stated Sarita Singh, a resident of Silwani.
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Some hiccups
Girls like Ruby Sahu of Silwani meeting constituency stated she acquired not noted of the Ladli Behna scheme as she couldn’t fill the kinds in time. Happy with the general work of the BJP, when requested if Chouhan ought to come again to energy, she stated, “He should continue as the Chief Minister. When the forms for Ladli Behna Yojana are next issued, I will be filling them to avail the benefit under the scheme.”
Not everybody ThePrint spoke to, nevertheless, was equally happy with the Chouhan authorities.
Chotiri (recognized by her first title solely), a resident of the state’s Silwani space, claimed she hadn’t obtained her vriddha (senior citizen) pension for the previous two months.
“I don’t know why I have not been receiving a pension for the past two months. There are roads constructed, but no gutters, no electricity and water is a major problem. There are pipes installed, but no water. There is a common hand pump set up in school which is used by all,” she stated.
Bhopal resident Jaya Bai started receiving her Ladli Behna cash after elevating a criticism on the CM helpline quantity about 4 months in the past.
She used the three installments to repay the mortgage she had taken from the Self Assist Group that she is affiliated to, however the cash stopped as soon as once more in October.
“When I went to check, the people at the bank said that no money had come. Besides the complaint I had raised on the CM helpline number, the people kept on insisting that my issue had been resolved and that I should close my complaint. Dekhiye parivartan toh hona chahiye (Things should change),” she identified.
Like Jaya, Bhopal resident Afreen Khan additionally claimed she had run from pillar to put up to avail the advantages of the schemes, however to no avail.
“I did not have a Samagra ID (a document like an Aadhaar card required to avail benefits of government schemes in MP) which is why despite running around, we were not made eligible for the scheme. But my sisters living in Sehore have been getting it and they have been using it to support their children’s education. I feel that no matter which government comes, those who are left behind do not have anyone to turn to. It is not just me, but my neighbours also have not been getting any money despite all the efforts,” she claimed.
Sidhi resident Alpana Singh has been receiving advantages of Ladli Behan Yojana for the reason that previous 4 months, however she stated tat with the rising costs, the cash was adequate to solely purchase provides for the month.
So will the scheme tilt ladies voters in favour of the BJP?
“We vote depending on what the elders of our family say. My in-laws in Sidhi are affiliated to the BJP, while my mother’s family that lives in Umariya is in favour of the Congress. It is still some time before the election, we will see which way the wind blows and will vote accordingly,” stated Alpana.
“Mama is giving us Rs 1,000 in our account and that is sufficient. We are very satisfied with it,” stated Guddi Bai in Budhni.
Nevertheless, the instalment has not blinded a few of the voters who favour an general growth over such sops. Anita Gond, a beneficiary in Sidhi, flags the shortage of primary amenities equivalent to water within the village.
“I get money under Ladli Behna Yojana every month but there needs to be some arrangement made for water supply in the village. The pipelines have been laid but there is no water which is a big problem,” she stated.
Likewise, Shanti (recognized by her first title solely), a resident of Tada village in Silwani, is proud of the work achieved by the BJP authorities however factors on the lack of primary facilities equivalent to bathrooms within the village. “I’m getting money under the Ladli Behna Yojana and overall, the BJP government is doing good work and should return to power. But there are no toilets in the village.”
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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