Ranchi, Dec 13 (IANS): The Jharkhand government has launched a fresh screening process for beneficiaries of the Hemant Soren-led administration's 'Maiya Samman Yojana,' a scheme which was hailed as a "game changer" during the recent Assembly elections.

On the directions of the Social Security Department, steps are being taken to identify beneficiaries who are not eligible and recover amounts disbursed to them under the scheme. This decision has drawn sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi, following government instructions, has issued letters to Block Development Officers (BDOs) and Circle Officers (COs), directing them to verify beneficiaries of the scheme in urban and rural areas by December 28. “If any beneficiaries are found ineligible, their names should be removed, and recovery of funds should be initiated,” the letter said.

This move has caused concern among women beneficiaries. Before the elections, a widespread campaign was launched that encouraged women between the age of 18 and 50 years to apply for the scheme.

Between August and November, approximately 55 lakh women received Rs 1,000 each in their bank accounts.

The government recently announced to increase monthly payout to 2,500 for beneficiaries starting December, with disbursal expected in the coming days.

However, the verification and screening process has triggered political backlash. BJP State President and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi strongly opposed the move to recover the amount from the beneficiaries, raising the issue during the Assembly proceedings on Thursday.

Taking to social media on Friday, Marandi accused the government of backtracking on its pre-election promises. He wrote, “The Hemant Soren government, which distributed the Maiya Samman Yojana funds like free Revdi before the elections, is now recovering the amount from women beneficiaries. Departments are being instructed to limit the number of beneficiaries under the guise of verification.”

Marandi further criticized the imposition of additional conditions for eligibility after the elections, stating, “Instead of punishing the officials who disbursed funds without proper verification, the government is targeting women beneficiaries. The BJP will not allow this recovery process to harm women.”