West Bengal launches Annapurna Yojana with 3,000 rupee aid

The West Bengal government will begin enrolling women for its new Annapurna Yojana welfare scheme on June 1, with the first direct payments of 3,000 rupees scheduled to be transferred to beneficiaries' bank accounts starting June 3. The program, which replaces the previous Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, represents a significant expansion of the state's financial support for women.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari confirmed the payment timeline, stating that funds would be transferred via the Direct Benefit Transfer system into Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. The scheme is officially set to launch on June 1, 2026, initiating a 90-day enrolment drive across the state. The Women and Child Welfare Department has been designated as the nodal agency for implementation.

To qualify, applicants must be female residents of West Bengal between the ages of 25 and 60. The government has introduced stricter eligibility criteria, explicitly excluding income taxpayers, permanent government employees, pensioners, and teaching or non-teaching staff at government-aided educational institutions. Officials state the objective is to target women outside formal government income systems who require greater...