The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has approved 1.25 lakh new applications under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme ahead of the Assembly elections.

Civic officials said the beneficiaries would start receiving the monthly assistance in their bank accounts from February.

In the state budget presented last week, the government also announced a hike in the monthly payout under the scheme.

Officials said the fresh applications were received over the past year through Duare Sarkar camps, Amader Para Amader Samadhan camps, and at various KMC borough offices.

“We approved 1.25 lakh new Lakshmir Bhandar applications last week. The beneficiaries will start receiving the monthly income from February. Many of these applications had been pending for long,” a senior KMC official told Metro on Sunday.

According to KMC sources, the total number of Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries in Calcutta has now reached nearly 7.84 lakh.

Another official said the civic body conducts physical verification of every application to prevent inclusion through unfair means. Either KMC officials visit the applicant’s home or ask them to appear at a KMC office for verification. “The verification process takes time.”

Across Bengal, 20.62 lakh new beneficiaries were added under the scheme, minister of state for finance Chandrima Bhattacharya said while presenting the state budget on Thursday. With the addition of these new beneficiaries, 2.42 crore women across the state are now covered under the scheme, she said.

Under Lakshmir Bhandar, beneficiaries in the general category will receive ₹1,500 per month, while those from reserved categories to receive ₹1,700 per month. The monthly assistance for both categories was increased by ₹500 in the budget.

Women aged 25 to 60 years who do not hold government jobs are eligible for the “monthly basic income” under the scheme.

Launched in August 2021, Lakshmir Bhandar has gained widespread popularity among women.

“In Calcutta, applications are received by the KMC, which conducts verification, approves beneficiaries, and uploads their details on the portal. The government then transfers the monthly amount directly to bank accounts,” a KMC official said.

While district magistrates are the sanctioning authorities for the scheme in districts, the KMC commissioner serves as the sanctioning authority within the Kolkata municipal area.

Officials said the addition and removal of beneficiaries is a continuous process. Women who turn 25 become eligible to apply, while those who turn 60 are removed from the list and automatically shifted to the old-age pension scheme, an official said.