Annapurna Yojana protests intensify: Women confront Agnimitra Pal as Bengal sees road blockades

Protests over the non-payment of Annapurna Yojana funds continued across several districts of West Bengal on Friday, with women blocking roads and railway tracks and approaching government offices to raise their grievances.

The state government began depositing this month's Annapurna Yojana funds into beneficiaries' bank accounts from August 17. While the government had said eligible beneficiaries would receive the money by August 20, several applicants have alleged that the amount has not been credited to their accounts.

In Birati, women staged a railway blockade over the issue. Protests were also reported from Jalpaiguri, Balurghat, Hooghly, East Midnapore and Howrah.

In West Midnapore, women protesters reached the district administrative building while state minister Agnimitra Pal was attending a meeting.

Pal came out of the meeting and spoke to the protesters, who complained about difficulties in accessing the scheme and being sent between different government offices.

Pal asked the women to submit their names, phone numbers and enrolment numbers at the SDO office and file complaints with the relevant authorities. During the interaction, she also directed district magistrate Bijin Krishna to appoint a nodal officer to oversee the disbursement of Annapurna Yojana funds.

In Jalpaiguri, women blocked National Highway 717 at several locations between Mainaguri and Chalsa.

Hundreds of women staged protests outside the Maulani and Lataguri gram panchayat offices, disrupting traffic for around one and a half hours. Police from the Kranti outpost reached the area.

In Balurghat, women locked an Anganwadi worker inside the Mayamari Anganwadi Centre and staged a protest. '

They alleged that the survey required for the scheme had not been properly conducted, resulting in their applications being rejected. Police from Balurghat police station later reached the spot.

A protest was also held outside the Tarakeswar municipality office in Hooghly.

The demonstration continued for more than an hour before municipal representatives and police assured the protesters that their concerns would be addressed.

In East Midnapore, women staged protests at several blocks and blocked national and state highways.

In Howrah's Bagnan-II block, women also staged a road blockade, alleging that despite completing their applications according to government requirements, they had not received the funds and had not been given clear information about their application status.