‘Annapurna Bhandar’ from June 1: Bengal women to get Rs 3,000, free bus travel announced

The West Bengal government on Monday announced the rollout of two major welfare promises aimed at women, the launch of the ‘Annapurna Bhandar’ financial assistance scheme and free travel for women on government buses from June 1.

The announcements came immediately after the first Cabinet meeting of the newly formed government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at Nabanna.

Under the new ‘Annapurna Bhandar’ scheme, eligible women in the state will receive Rs 3,000 every month directly in their bank accounts. The BJP had made the promise a key part of its election campaign ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly polls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah repeatedly referred to the scheme during campaign rallies, projecting it as a major financial support initiative for women.

The state government said the first instalment under the scheme will begin reaching beneficiaries from June 1 itself.

Alongside the financial assistance programme, the government also announced that women will be allowed to travel free of cost on all state-run buses from the same date.

The move is being seen as one of the first major policy decisions of the new administration and a direct attempt to fulfil promises made during the election campaign.

The BJP had positioned the scheme as a larger and more financially ambitious alternative to the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme launched by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections, Mamata Banerjee had promised monthly financial assistance for women through ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’.

After returning to power, her government implemented the scheme with an initial monthly payment of Rs 500.

Over time, the amount was increased in phases. In the final budget presented by the previous government, beneficiaries under the general category were receiving Rs 1,500 per month, while women from the Scheduled Caste and the Scheduled Tribe communities were receiving Rs 1,700 monthly.

During the 2026 campaign, the BJP announced that it would increase the support amount significantly if voted to power.

The party’s manifesto promised Rs 3,000 per month for women under a new scheme called ‘Annapurna Bhandar’, arguing that the higher amount would help women become more financially independent.

Questions had also emerged after the change in government over whether welfare schemes introduced under the previous Trinamool Congress administration would continue.

Addressing those concerns after the Cabinet meeting, CM Adhikari said residents of the state would continue receiving benefits under all ongoing social welfare projects.

Officials indicated that women already enrolled under ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ will automatically be covered under ‘Annapurna Bhandar’.

This means existing beneficiaries are unlikely to need fresh applications at this stage.

Administrative sources said no new registration process has been announced yet, though additional documents or verification requirements may be communicated later if necessary.

The announcement regarding free bus travel for women has also drawn attention.

The facility was first introduced in Delhi by the government led by Arvind Kejriwal and continues to remain in place even after a change in government there.

The West Bengal government now plans to implement a similar model across state-run bus services from June 1.

Sources at Nabanna said another Cabinet meeting has been scheduled next Monday, where several more election promises are likely to be discussed and possibly implemented.