Kolkata, 03 June (H.S.) : The West Bengal government on Wednesday formally launched the much-awaited Annapurna Scheme for women, initiating the transfer of Rs 3,000 per month to 2.825 million beneficiaries enrolled in the first phase.

The scheme was one of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s key promises during the Assembly election campaign. It replaces the previous Trinamool Congress government's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, under which around 24.2 million women received financial assistance of up to Rs 1,500 per month.

Launching the scheme, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said that 2.825 million women had been verified and registered on a dedicated portal over the past three days. He added that applications would continue to be accepted both online and offline over the next three months through Block Development Offices, municipal offices and other designated government centres.

Adhikari said the implementation of the scheme fulfilled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantee and the commitment of the state’s “double-engine government” to provide Rs 3,000 per month to eligible women.

He further stated that fresh applications would continue to be processed and that all eligible beneficiaries would be brought under the scheme once verification was completed.

Defending the fresh registration and verification exercise, the Chief Minister said the government had found that several individuals whose names had been permanently removed from electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision exercise had continued to receive benefits under welfare schemes.

“The government is committed to ensuring that public funds reach only eligible Indian citizens. No non-Indian will be allowed to receive benefits under government welfare programmes,” Adhikari said.

However, he clarified that individuals whose cases are pending before tribunals, as well as Hindu refugees from Bangladesh who have applied for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act, will also be eligible to apply for the scheme.

The Chief Minister alleged that under the previous government, corruption and weak verification mechanisms had allowed several ineligible beneficiaries, including men and illegal immigrants, to avail benefits intended for women. He said the new verification system had been introduced to ensure transparency and prevent irregularities.

Adhikari also assured that government employees would assist those unable to complete the enrolment process on their own, including through doorstep support wherever necessary. The government, he said, would issue updates every seven days regarding the number of verified beneficiaries and fresh enrolments.

The Chief Minister said the scheme aims to strengthen the economic security of women and recalled the contributions of prominent women figures from Bengal, including Rani Rashmoni and freedom fighter Matangini Hazra.

Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal said government teams would visit households to help fill out application forms. He added that citizens would also have the opportunity to raise objections if an individual's eligibility under the scheme was cancelled.

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Helpline for Grievances

The state government has launched a dedicated helpline and email support system for beneficiaries to register complaints and seek assistance regarding the scheme. Citizens can call 82820-82820 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday, or submit complaints through email.

On the occasion of the scheme’s launch, the Chief Minister also held three “Janata Darbars”, interacting directly with members of the public and directing officials to address their grievances and concerns.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh