Mumbai, April 4: Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde strongly defended the Maharashtra government’s flagship welfare scheme, the ‘Ladki Behna Yojana’, on Saturday, dismissing the opposition’s allegations as baseless.
In a conversation, Hegde stated, “The Ladki Behna Yojana is a key program of our government. The deadline for KYC registration has been set for April 30. There is no substance to the opposition’s claims. The government has allocated nearly ₹26,000 crores for this scheme, which provides ₹1,500 monthly to each beneficiary woman since its launch in August 2024.”
Hegde also addressed concerns regarding fuel supply amid rising tensions in the Middle East. He mentioned, “A Japanese ship carrying fuel is en route to India. Additionally, an Indian vessel is coming back through the Hormuz Strait. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with the Iranian President, which facilitated the passage of two ships previously. There will be no shortage of fuel and gas in India, and all credit goes to Prime Minister Modi and his government.”
The Shiv Sena also criticized recent statements made by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. Hegde remarked, “Chowdhury’s comments on TMC’s strategy to garner Muslim votes are very wrong. He stated that Muslims will vote for TMC where they have a chance of winning, and for Congress where Congress has a chance. This statement is divisive. The public votes based on work, not religion.”
Responding to suggestions from Samajwadi Party’s young MP Ikra Chowdhury regarding dedicating a day in the Lok Sabha to child development, Hegde acknowledged the idea but noted that the management of Lok Sabha proceedings is handled by the secretariat according to agenda and timing. He added that Ikra Chowdhury’s father was also a former MP, so she should be aware of parliamentary procedures.