Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said if people give a "bigger mandate" to the ruling Mahayuti in the upcoming state polls, the government would double the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme's monthly financial assistance amount to Rs 3,000.

At present, the government pays Rs 1,500 per month to the beneficiaries of the 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana', the Mahayuti government's flagship financial assistance scheme for women in the state.

The Shinde dispensation introduced the scheme in this year's budget and rolled it out last month.

Speaking at a public event in Paranda tehsil in Dharashiv district, Shinde said, "We started the Ladki Bahin scheme, offering Rs 1,500 to eligible women every month. If you increase our strength, we will raise the monthly amount to Rs 2,000. If you give a bigger mandate, we will increase it to Rs 3,000. We will not hesitate to take up this amount further." "The opposition criticises us, saying the state government would later close the scheme citing empty coffers. But they should not forget that the state exchequer is for people," he said.

He said when his government reduced the fares of state-run buses by 50 per cent for women passengers, concerns were raised and it was said that the move would lead to more losses for the state transport corporation.

"On the contrary, following the launch of the initiative, there was a significant surge in women using the bus service, ultimately leading to the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) getting a profitable outcome," he said.

The government aims to empower women by encouraging them to invest in entrepreneurial endeavours, thereby enabling individuals from humble backgrounds to achieve financial success, he said.

Taking a swipe at Shiv Sena (UBT) president and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray over his Facebook live public addresses during the COVID-19 pandemic, Shinde said, "Such live streaming is not sufficient to run a government. You need face-to-face interaction with people to understand their issues."

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.