Nagpur, Aug 31 (IANS): Undeterred by the opposition's criticism, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar on Saturday at two separate functions held at Nagpur city and at Katol (in Nagpur district) claimed that the ambitious Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana will not be discontinued but remain implemented forever.

They further submitted that eligible women beneficiaries would get higher financial aid per month from the present Rs 1,500 after the MahaYuti government is voted to power again after the upcoming Maharahtra Assembly election.

CM Shinde at the function to promote the Ladki Bahin scheme held at Nagpur led a frontal attack against the opposition.

"They are running a campaign, claiming the Ladki Bahin scheme is an election gimmick," he said, adding "the scheme has been launched with a sole aim of empowerment and making women self sufficient".

"If you give strength to the government, we will increase the financial assistance. Yeh to trailer hai, picture abhi baaki hai (This is just a trailer, the actual picture is yet to be shown). We will not fold our hands. We want to see these sisters become millionaires. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Lakhpati Didi Yojana to cover 3 crore women under the scheme of which 50 lakh beneficiaries will be from Maharashtra," he said.

"Currently, Rs 1,500 are deposited directly to the bank accounts of eligible women beneficiaries under Ladki Bahin scheme. But we will not stop just there... if you support, we will increase it to Rs 2,500 and then to Rs 3,000 per month," Shinde said, adding that in the first phase, the government has deposited the financial aid to the bank accounts of 1.07 crore women beneficiaries.

In the second phase, 52 lakh beneficiaries have been covered, and the government has deposited Rs 1,562 crore in their bank accounts.

"This means, so far, about 1.60 crore beneficiaries got the financial assistance under the Ladki Bahin scheme," he noted.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar during his Jansanman Yatra at Katol constituency in Nagpur district, represented by NCP-SP legislator and former home minister Anil Deshmukh, on Saturday said that the government will deposit Rs 1 lakh in the bank accounts of eligible women beneficiaries in the next five years under the Ladki Bahin scheme.

"The MahaYuti government has decided to empower 2.50 crore women in the state with the monthly aid of Rs 1,500," he added.

Pawar took a dig at the opposition for making fun of the Ladki Bahin scheme and raising doubts over its sustainability.

"When the opponents were in power for so many years, why didn't they think of helping women? Some of them who were born with a golden spoon in their mouth are criticising us," he said while appealing to the women to support the MahaYuti again for its victory in the upcoming Assembly election, reiterating that no one will be able to stop the Ladki Bahin scheme.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur slammed the Congress for approaching the high court against the Ladki Bahin scheme, saying that its implementation will continue.

"We will not let this scheme discontinue. We will hire a prominent lawyer to plead the government's case in the court," he declared.