Nine states in India, which have ongoing or proposed cash transfer schemes for women, have a collective allocation of $18 billion in their budget estimates for the financial year 2024-2-25 (FY25), accounting for 0.5 per cent of India’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to Goldman Sachs Global Research. The cash transfer schemes have become a potent instrument of political parties at the helm in states to woo women voters. One of the recent examples has been the success of the Mahayuti alliance led by BJP in Maharashtra. The “Ladki Bahin Yojana” launched by outgoing Chief Minister Eknath Shinde this year is considered as a key factor in helping the coalition secure the second consecutive victory in the state.