“The scheme will continue. No one has the strength to put an end to the Ladki Bahin Yojana. I have told my sisters. Beware of the step-brothers because they have been creating impediments from day one. They approached the court to stop the scheme. This brother will not stop at just Rs 1,500. We will enhance the amount,” Shinde said to NH.

“If you provide us strength, your brother will not stop at Rs 1,500. We will enhance it to Rs 1,500, Rs 2,000, 2,500, Rs 3,000,” the chief minister added.

CM also criticised the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray and remarked that the opposition claims Rs 1,500 is a small amount, but they did not give it when they were in power.

“Those born with golden spoons in their mouth will not realise the importance of Rs 1,500,” he further said.

Referring to his revolt against Thackeray in 2022, Shinde said when the need arose, he also changed the government.

“We realised it was important to save the Balasaheb Shiv Sena and stop it from getting demoralised,” Shinde said.

CM Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar also attended a program to dedicate the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule Memorial constructed by the Nashik Municipal Corporation in Mumbai Naka area.

The government was following the ideals of the reformer Phule couple, said the chief minister on the occasion.

“Maharashtra is becoming strong due to industrial development and provision of basic amenities. Efforts are on to give economic relief to women through the Ladki Bahin Yojana. Schemes such as free higher education to girls, Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana and many others are also the steps in the same direction,” he added.

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar noted that Mahatma Phule first started the public celebration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s birth anniversary, and started the first school for women in Pune.

There is a demand that the revered Phule couple should be conferred with ‘Bharat Ratna’, and the state government will follow it up with the Union government, he said.

Fadnavis noted that Mahatma Phule and Savitribai defied all odds while promoting social reforms.Had there been no Savitribai Phule, women would not have been in the forefront in every field, he said.

The initiative to erect this memorial was long advocated by the Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad and received strong support from the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) after persistent efforts.Renowned sculptor Balakrishna Panchal from Kudal crafted the granite marble statues, while architect Sham Londhe oversaw the project. The 18-foot statue of Mahatma Phule and the 16.50-foot statue of Savitribai Phule weigh 8 and 7 tons, respectively.