‘Filling 12-page form doesn’t guarantee Annapurna Yojana benefits’: Agnimitra Paul

Kolkata: The West Bengal government has clarified that merely filling out the newly introduced 12-page application form for the Annapurna Yojana will not guarantee beneficiaries the promised ₹3,000 monthly assistance.

The clarification came from Women and Child Welfare Minister Agnimitra Paul amid growing anticipation among thousands of women expected to benefit from the scheme beginning June 1.

The Annapurna Yojana was announced as a replacement for the existing Lakshmir Bhandar benefit, under which eligible women currently receive ₹1,500 per month.

Following the change in government, the amount was proposed to be doubled to ₹3,000.

Initially, authorities had indicated that women already enrolled under Lakshmir Bhandar would automatically receive the enhanced benefit. However, the government later introduced a separate application form, making fresh registration mandatory.

Addressing reporters, Paul said that completing the 12-page form does not automatically qualify an applicant for financial assistance. According to her, all applications will undergo verification before payments are approved.

The minister said the government decided to introduce a scrutiny process after discovering alleged irregularities in the existing beneficiary database.

She claimed that benefits under Lakshmir Bhandar had been credited to the accounts of several men, necessitating a fresh verification exercise.

Paul also stated that the form is not being used exclusively for the Annapurna Yojana.

Information collected through the application process will help the government prepare beneficiary databases for several other central welfare schemes expected to be launched in the state.

The state government has maintained that only eligible women will receive benefits under the scheme.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has alleged that nearly 30 lakh fake names exist in the Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiary list and has called for a thorough review of applicants.

Officials have further said that Indian citizenship will be one of the key eligibility criteria for receiving benefits under the Annapurna Yojana.

The ongoing verification process will determine whether applicants meet all prescribed conditions before funds are disbursed.