The West Bengal government has begun distributing the September tranche of the ₹3,000 benefit under the Annapurna Yojana to eligible beneficiaries in the state today (September 17).
The state government transferred money to 1.58 crore beneficiaries on the occasion of his birthday, nearly 10 lakh more beneficiaries than in August.
Addressing a programme in Salt Lake, Kolkata, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that Modi’s birthday on September 17 will be observed as ‘Annapurna Divas’ in the state every year, as the ₹3,000 monthly assistance under the scheme was guaranteed by him.
The Annapurna Yojana is a West Bengal government scheme that provides eligible women with ₹3,000 per month through direct bank transfers.
How to check credit status:
To check your Annapurna Bhandar (formerly Lakshmir Bhandar) credit status:
- Log in to the state’s Social Security Portal
- Select “Track Applicant Status” using your Application ID, Aadhaar number, or registered mobile number.
- You can also verify direct credits in your Aadhaar-linked bank account.
Bengal government sets fresh eligibility criteria:
Earlier in August, Adhikari announced fresh eligibility criteria for the Annapurna scheme. Check who is eligible and who is not:
- Women earning more than ₹10,000 a month or belonging to families with an annual income of above ₹12 lakh would not be eligible for the scheme.
- Those already receiving certain government benefits, including disability allowance and PM-Kisan assistance, however, would remain eligible, provided the other criteria are met
- For rural women, having more than three rooms in a house or owning more than 50 decimals of land would not by itself disqualify them from receiving the benefit
“Last month, questions were raised about many eligible women not receiving the money. Now, women in rural areas having more than three rooms will also get the benefit. This will increase the number of rural women covered under the scheme,” Adhikari said.
Adhikari said payments would be made on a priority basis to all women who meet the eligibility criteria.
The number of beneficiaries under the Annapurna Yojana has risen steadily in recent months. In June, a total of 28 lakh women received the benefit. This increased sharply to 1.19 crore in July, then rose further in August.
With another increase of nearly 10 lakh beneficiaries in September, the total number of women receiving the ₹3,000 payout is now expected to reach 1.58 crore.
The Annapurna scheme was promised in the BJP’s election manifesto for women aged 25 to 60 and was subsequently implemented after the party came to power in the state.