The Government of West Bengal earlier this week notified the Annapurna Yojana, which will replace the Lakshmir Bhandar programme for monthly financial assistance to women, is set to take effect from next month.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna, minister Agnimitra Paul said, “The cabinet gave a nod to the ‘Annapurna’ scheme of ₹3,000 monthly assistance to women from June 1. It also approved a proposal to allow free travel for women in government-run buses from next month.”
The notification issued on Tuesday by the Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Department, headed by minister Agnimitra Paul, stated that there will be certain conditions that people must meet to qualify for the scheme’s benefits.
Here is what you need to know about the scheme:
How much monthly allowance will beneficiaries receive under the scheme?
All beneficiaries, under the ‘Annapurna’ scheme, will receive ₹3,000 monthly assistance from next month.
Previous TMC government’s ‘Lakhsmir Bhandar’ scheme provided a monthly allowence of ₹1.500 to the beneficiaries.
Who can apply?
Women, aged between 25 and 60 years, not permanent government employees receiving salaries or pensions and not paying income tax, are eligible to receive the monetary assistance
Paul further noted, women, who applied for citizenship under the CAA and approached tribunals for inclusion in voter rolls in the wake of the SIR exercise, will also receive ‘Annapurna’ scheme benefits.
How to apply for the scheme?
The government has said that a dedicated online portal will go live on June 1, allowing new applicants to apply for the scheme.
The notice stated that “fresh applicants for the monetary benefit scheme would be enquired into by the government or Kolkata’s civic body officials authorised for the purpose, according to the applicant’s residential status.”
From when will the scheme come into effect, and how will beneficiaries receive the funds?
The scheme will take effect from June 1.
The assistance amount will be credited through the Direct Benefit Transfer system to the Aadhaar card-linked bank account in the name of the beneficiary, it added.
What happens to exisiting beneficiaries under the Lakshmir Bhandar? How to transfer your name?
Existing beneficiaries of the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme will be automatically transferred to the ‘Annapurna Yojna’, except for a few specified categories who may be excluded from the transition.
the notification read, “All existing beneficiaries of ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme shall be migrated to the Annapurna Yojna except the dead, shifted, deleted and absentee electors identified during SIR- 2026, deletion in the second list after publication of draft list, deleted after adjudication, ASDD (Absent, Shifted, Dead, or Duplicate) found during voter slip distribution,”
Beneficiaries, who have filed appeals before the SIR tribunal or applications under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, shall get financial assistance under the new scheme till the disposal of their pleas, it said.
Likewise, names of dead and shifted beneficiaries will be deleted in future on a regular basis, the notification said.