BIG Blow For Bengal Women! 30 Lakh Lakshmir Bhandar Recipients May Lose Annapurna Bhandar Benefits; Here's Why

Nearly 30 lakh beneficiaries of West Bengal's existing Lakshmir Bhandar scheme may lose out on benefits from the state government's new Annapurna Yojana, said Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari recently. The BJP-led state government is set to replace the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme and will provide Rs 3,000 to eligible beneficiaries every month through direct benefit transfer.

While the BJP launched the Annapurna Yojana to replace the old scheme, its benefits may not extend to all existing beneficiaries of the Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme.

Who Will Not Receive Annapurna Yojana Benefits?

Lakshmi Bhandar beneficiaries whose names are permanently deleted from the voters list, or who had not applied to an SIR-linked tribunal or for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for inclusion, may not receive the benefit of Annapurna Yojana, reported PTI, citing Bengal CM Suvendhu Adhikari.

According to Adhikari, these names were removed because the individuals were permanently deleted from voter lists or had not pursued key citizenship-related processes.

What Is Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme?

Lakshmi Bhandar Scheme is one of former Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's flagship scheme for women. The Trinamool Congress government scheme has functioned as a direct benefit transfert scheme for women. Under the welfare plan, eligible women from the general category received Rs 1,500 per month, while women from the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, received Rs 1,700 each month in their bank accounts.

Lakshmir Bhandar currently covers about 2.2 crore beneficiaries across West Bengal, as per an Indian Express report. Replacing the scheme with Annapurna will change both the monthly amount and the eligibility criteria. But, the direct benefit transfer structure that sends money straight into beneficiaries' bank accounts will remain the same.

About Annapurna Bhandar Scheme

The Annapurna Bhandar Scheme is a key promise mentioned in the BJP's poll manifesto. After BJP's victory in the state assembly elections, beneficiaries will receive Rs 3,000 per month of assistance. Apart from the direct benefit scheme, the government will also implement free bus travel service for women on all state-run transport vehicles.

Annapurna Yojana portal online application in West Bengal

Once the Annapurna Yojana portal goes live on 1 June 2026, fresh beneficiaries must submit applications only through the online system. Applicants are advised to keep their Aadhaar card, bank account information and a recent passport-size photograph ready so that the digital form can be completed without delay.

Before launch, residents in Siliguri and other parts of West Bengal have already been queuing at post offices to link Aadhaar with bank accounts, which is needed for Annapurna Yojana payments. Authorities expect the online mode to reduce crowding and help officials track Annapurna Yojana applications more efficiently across districts.