West Bengal Budget 2026: Annapurna Yojana Gets Rs 36,000 Crore Funds; How To Be Eligible For Rs 3,000 PM?

The West Bengal government under BJP, has declared a budget of Rs 36,000 crore for the beneficiaries under Annapurna Yojana, which is a revamped scheme of the the earlier Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. However, only 1 crore beneficiaries will be entitled to receive the benefit. Under Annapurna Yojana, women are eligible to receive Rs 3,000 per month from the government via direct benefit transfer (DBT).

West Bengal Budget 2026: Annapurna Yojana

While presenting the first Budget of the BJP party in West Bengal on June 22, 2026, the state's finance minister, Swapan Dasgupta, announced the allocation of Rs 36,000 crore funds for Annapurna Yojana beneficiaries. These welfare benefits are for the 2026-27 year.

However, as per PTI report, according to budget calculations, the allocation would only be sufficient to cover one crore beneficiaries at the promised assistance level of Rs 3,000 per month under the scheme. The figure is significantly lower than the beneficiary base claimed by the previous TMC government under Lakshmir Bhandar.

What Is Annapurna Yojana?

After winning the 2026 assembly election, the saffron party government introduced Annapurna Yojana, which is also called as Annapurna Bhandar scheme on June 3, 2026.

The scheme is aimed at empowering women and lift their financial conditions for families in the state. The scheme is only meant for women who will receive Rs 3,000 per month through direct transfer benefit (DBT).

Annapurna Yojana Eligibility Criteria

The applicant for the scheme has to be a woman. The woman should be between the age group pf 25 years to 60 years. Also, they should be a permanent resident in West Bengal. Lastly, the applicant should not be in condition of paying income tax.

All the existing beneficiaries of the "Lakshmir Bhandar" Scheme shall be migrated to the "Annapurna Yojana" except dead, shifted, deleted, and absentee electors identified during SIR-2026, deletion in the 2^TM list after publication of draft list, deleted after adjudication, ASDD found during voter slip distribution.Beneficiaries who have filed an appeal before the SIR Tribunal/applications under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act shall get financial assistance under the New Scheme till disposal of their applications. Likewise, names of dead and shifted beneficiaries will be deleted in the future on a regular basis, as per the government guidelines.

How To Apply For West Bengal Annapurna Yojana Scheme?

As per the government's portal, here is the step by step guide to apply for Annapurna Yojana:

Step 1: The applicant must visit the official "Annapurna Yojana" application portal.

Step 2: Select the district name from the dropdown and enter the mobile number.

Step 3: In the next window, the "Family Level Data Collection" form will appear.

Step 4: Enter all the required details of the Head of the Family, followed by the other members' details as well.

Step 5: Upload relevant documents and click on the "Submit" button.

Step 6: Note down the Application ID for future reference.

West Bengal Annapurna Yojana Scheme: Documents Requirement

Following documents is compulsory for Annapurna Yojana:

1. Aadhaar Card
2. EPIC Card/Voter ID Card
3. Ration Card Details (If available)
4. PAN Card of family members (If available)
5. Land Details (If available)
6. Swathya Sathi Card Number (If available).