The Bengal BJP government will roll out its flagship ‘Annapurna Bhandar’ scheme on June 1, promising Rs 3,000 monthly assistance to women, alongside a planned purge of fake and ineligible beneficiaries.
Women and child development and social welfare minister Agnimitra Paul said women currently enrolled under the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme would be shifted to Annapurna Bhandar, except those whose names were deleted from the electoral rolls during the recently concluded Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
“Women who were earlier covered under Lakshmi Bhandar will now receive money under Annapurna Bhandar through direct bank transfer from June 1 onwards,” Paul said on Monday.
While enrollment under Lakkhi bhandar had to be done offline and required a woman's Aadhar card, Voter ID, Swasthya Sathi card, bank account details, it is likely that Annapurna Bhandar scheme will have more stringent requirements.
The minister said the government would scrutinise the beneficiary list before the launch of the scheme to ensure that only eligible women continue to receive benefits. According to official figures from early 2026, the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme had more than 2.2 crore beneficiaries across West Bengal, including nearly 7.84 lakh in Kolkata.
“There will be an analysis to weed out fake beneficiaries. People who have died or whose names have been removed from the SIR list but were still receiving Lakshmi Bhandar benefits will no longer receive payments,” Paul said.
She added that voters whose names remain under adjudication, along with those awaiting citizenship status, would for the time being remain excluded from the scheme.
Eligibility criteria for Annapurna Bhandar scheme
- Must be a woman
- A permanent resident
- Aged above 25
- Belongs to a low-income household or Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category family
- Holds a ration card under BPL, AAY, or PHH categories
Who is not eligible for the Annapurna Bhandar scheme?
- Permanent or retired government employee
- Non-residents of Bengal
How to apply (online)
The Bengal government is yet to launch an official portal to process new application forms. But citizens can follow these likely steps to complete the application:
Step 1: Access the official government website (once launched)
Step 2: Select the Annapurna Bhandar registration link
Step 3: Enter Aadhaar and personal details
Step 4: Upload required documents
Step 3: Link bank account details
Step 4: Submit the application form
Step 5: Download the acknowledgement receipt
How to apply offline?
Step 1: Visit the nearest government camp, BDO offices, SDO offices, municipality office, or other designated service centre in West Bengal.
Step 2: Collect and submit the completed form along with self-attested documents, recipient would receive an acknowledgement receipt. Wait for verification by the relevant department.
Documents likely to be required for the Annapurna Bhandar application
• Aadhaar card
• Bank account statement/ passbook
• Voter card
• Residence proof
• Ration card
• Income certificate from the local authorities
• Passport-size photographs