Bengal Govt says 30 lakh Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries may not qualify for Annapurna Bhandar

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday claimed that nearly 30 lakh beneficiaries under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme may be ineligible, alleging that many names were either deleted from the voter list, linked to deceased persons, or belonged to individuals whose citizenship-related verification was incomplete.

The announcement came as the state government launched the enrolment process for the new ‘Annapurna Bhandar’ scheme, under which eligible women will receive Rs 3,000 per month.

Addressing a press conference at Nabanna, Adhikari said the government received multiple complaints during the review of Lakshmir Bhandar records.

According to him, several beneficiaries continued to receive assistance despite their names being permanently removed from electoral rolls. He also alleged that some entries were fake or linked to non-existent persons.

The chief minister said around 2.20 crore women are currently covered under Lakshmir Bhandar, but after fresh verification, the number of beneficiaries under Annapurna Bhandar could come down to nearly two crore.

He clarified that women who have applied under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) or appealed before tribunals related to voter-list inclusion will still be eligible for the new scheme.

Under the previous Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, women in the general category received Rs 1,500 per month, while SC/ST beneficiaries got Rs 1,700.

Why is fresh verification being done?

The Bengal government said the new verification process is aimed at ensuring that only eligible residents receive financial assistance.

Adhikari said the administration initially believed the Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiary list had already been verified, but complaints about deleted voter records and suspected fake entries triggered a fresh scrutiny drive.

“To maintain transparency, benefits should reach only eligible women residents of West Bengal,” he said.

The government has now introduced a new enrolment form for Annapurna Bhandar. Officials will verify beneficiary details before approval.

The Women and Child Welfare Department, headed by Minister Agnimitra Paul, will lead the process. District magistrates, block development officers, municipal officials, Aadhaar authorities and the Home Department will also take part in verification.

What should existing beneficiaries know?

The chief minister said current Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries will continue receiving payments until their enrolment under Annapurna Bhandar is completed.

“No beneficiary will lose assistance during the transition process,” Adhikari said.

The enrolment drive will begin on June 1 and continue for 90 days. Applications can be submitted both online and offline.

In panchayat areas, officials will conduct a 30-day door-to-door enrolment campaign to help women fill out forms and complete verification.

The government said women whose applications are verified successfully could start receiving funds through direct bank transfer after the next Cabinet meeting in June.

Adhikari also announced that women will be allowed free travel in state-run buses from Monday. Identity cards for the facility will be issued later.

The chief minister further said the rollout of Ayushman Bharat in West Bengal is progressing and beneficiary cards under the healthcare scheme may start being distributed from July.

With PTI inputs