Kolkata: The online application process for the West Bengal government's Annapurna Bhandar scheme has hit a major hurdle, with the official portal reportedly going offline amid a surge in user traffic. 

Applicants attempting to access the website on Tuesday were greeted with a message reading, ‘We will be Back Soon,’ indicating that the server is currently unavailable.

The scheme, under which financial assistance is credited directly to beneficiaries' bank accounts, requires applicants to complete a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) linkage process.

Earlier, the DBT linking platform had also reportedly crashed after a large number of people attempted to link their accounts simultaneously.

Now, the online application portal itself appears to have been affected by the overwhelming demand.

Website inaccessible ahead of fund transfer

The disruption comes just a day before funds under the Annapurna scheme are scheduled to be credited to beneficiaries' bank accounts. Online applications for the scheme began on Tuesday, triggering a rush of users to the portal.

Applicants visiting the Social Registry website were unable to proceed with their applications as the portal remained inaccessible for several hours.

How to apply for Annapurna Bhandar scheme

The state government has directed applicants to submit their applications through the Social Security portal.

The Annapurna Yojana portal allows users to download application forms in their preferred language, register using a mobile number, and upload completed forms and supporting documents online.

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

After filling out the form, applicants are required to scan and upload it through the portal. Necessary documents can also be uploaded digitally during the application process.

Documents required

Applicants must keep the following documents ready while filling out the form:

  • Aadhaar Card and Aadhaar number
  • Voter ID Card
  • Ration Card
  • Bank passbook and account details
  • Electricity bill or water bill as proof of residence
  • Passport-size photograph

Officials are yet to state when the portal will be fully restored. However, the outage has caused inconvenience to thousands of applicants trying to complete the registration process ahead of the scheme's rollout.