While many women across Maharashtra have already received five installments of ₹1,500 under the state’s ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana’ (The Chief Minister’s ‘My Beloved Sister’ Scheme), Vijaya Dhumal and thousands of others are still left in the lurch, trapped in a bureaucratic limbo.

As their applications remain stuck, their hope now lies with an unlikely group of “champions”—aspiring MLAs and their supporters, who, with elections around the corner, have begun storming banks, demanding the release of funds to win favor with voters.

With tensions escalating, bank employees across the state report being attacked and harassed by these political hopefuls.

“We’ve registered 12 FIRs for physical assaults on bank staff. Despite informing the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and Bankers Committee, no action has been taken. We have no choice but to strike,” said Devidas Tuljapurkar, convener of the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), speaking to businessline.

Bank staff, overwhelmed by a flood of applications and frustrated by technical glitches, now find themselves caught in the crossfire. The shortage of employees and system failures have left thousands of women without the funds promised under the scheme, leading to clashes and anger directed at banking staff.

The UFBU has announced protests and a statewide strike. From October 25 to 27, bank employees will follow work-to-rule guidelines and have called for a complete strike on October 25, with a march to Mumbai’s Azad Maidan. If their demands for protection aren’t met, more intense protests are planned for November.

The ‘Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana,’ launched in July 2024 ahead of the state elections, promises a monthly stipend of Rs 1,500 to eligible women, with a cap of Rs 2.5 lakh annual family income. While 2.34 crore women have already received payments for July through November, the scheme’s implementation issues have sparked a storm in the state’s banking sector.

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