Pension Payment Delay: Bombay HC Pulls Up Maharashtra Govt for Prioritising Ladki Bahin Yojana over Retirees:

Pension Payment Delay: Bombay HC Pulls Up Maharashtra Govt for Prioritising Ladki Bahin Yojana over Retirees The Bombay High Court has slammed the Maharashtra Government for making delays in paying pension and retirement benefits to government employees. The key concern noted by the court is that the retired government workers are not receiving their dues on time, which is leading to serious hardship. This case came to light when a retired government employee from the education department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court, praying the court to direct the concerned authorities to release payment for her provident fund and pension under the Seventh Pay Commission. During the hearing, the BMC highlighted that the reason behind the delayed payments is the non-receipt of enough funds from the state government.

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Consequently, the court strongly raised questions on the state’s priorities. It flagged the government's spending on the Ladki Bahin Yojana, launched by former Chief Minister Eknath Shinde before the Maharashtra Assembly elections held in 2024. Under this scheme, women who fulfil the eligibility criteria are provided Rs 1,500 per month, and the government is spending a major part of its revenue on this scheme every year (approximately 40,000 crore). Hence, the court recommended that if the government is suffering financial crises, then it should first prioritise payment of pensions, gratuity, and provident funds to the retired government employees, even if it means stopping or reducing other schemes. The court directed the government to make sure all the pending dues/payments are cleared shortly, including using or selling office resources if needed.

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For the same, the court has directed the government to submit an affidavit confirming when the dues will be paid at the next hearing. Meanwhile, the state has already begun tightening eligibility rules for the Ladki Bahin scheme, reducing the number of beneficiaries from earlier levels and removing some people from the list.