West Bengal Launches Annapurna Yojana for Women

West Bengal has launched the Annapurna Yojana, a cash assistance scheme for women, with effect from 1 June 2026. The scheme provides ₹3,000 per month to eligible women through Direct Benefit Transfer into Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.

Eligibility and Benefit Structure

Women aged 25 to 60 years are eligible for the scheme. Beneficiaries must not be income tax payers and must not hold permanent government employment or receive a regular salary or pension from the state or central government.

Migration from Lakshmir Bhandar

All existing beneficiaries of the Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme will be migrated to Annapurna Yojana. The migration excludes persons identified as deceased, shifted, deleted, or absentee electors.

Application Process and Administrative Framework

An online portal for Annapurna Yojana will open on 1 June 2026 for new applicants. Applications will be verified by authorised government officials, and the scheme was notified by the Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare on 19 May 2026.

Important Facts for Exams

• Direct Benefit Transfer is a system for transferring government benefits directly into bank accounts linked with Aadhaar.
• Women’s cash transfer schemes are implemented by several Indian states under social welfare programmes.
• Eligibility conditions in such schemes often include age limits, income tax status, and employment status.
• Online portals are commonly used by state governments for beneficiary registration and verification.

Related State Welfare Measure

The West Bengal government has also approved free travel for women in state-run buses from 1 June 2026. This measure applies to buses operated by the state transport system.