India, July 1 -- Around 75,000 women in the Pune district, registered as owners of four-wheelers, continue to be under scrutiny as the state government has now intensified its verification drive under the 'Ladki Bahin' scheme. The large number of potentially ineligible beneficiaries has triggered concerns over the initial screening process and prompted a detailed field-level verification.

According to officials in the special cell formed in Mantralaya to monitor the scheme, the state transport department submitted two lists to the Pune Zilla Parishad - one with 58,350 names and another with 16,750 - identifying a total of over 75,000 women in the district as four-wheeler owners. These lists were passed on to Anganwadi workers for on-grou...