West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has said the state government plans to raise the annual allocation for its women-focused cash transfer scheme to Rs 48,000 crore. The announcement signals the BJP-led government’s intention to expand its welfare support for women across the state.
The scheme, known as the Annapurna Yojana, replaced the previous Trinamool Congress government’s Lakshmir Bhandar programme. The BJP government introduced the new scheme after winning the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. Under Annapurna Yojana, eligible women receive Rs 3,000 every month through direct bank transfers.
The government has already started implementing the scheme. However, Adhikari’s latest statement indicates that the financial commitment could increase further as the programme expands. The proposed higher allocation would provide more room to support eligible beneficiaries and meet the government’s welfare commitments.
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Government Plans Higher Allocation
The decision to increase the allocation reflects the importance the Suvendu Adhikari government has placed on direct financial support for women. The state has made women’s welfare a major part of its policy agenda since the BJP came to power.
Under the current arrangement, eligible women receive Rs 3,000 each month. This amounts to Rs 36,000 a year for every beneficiary. The state government allocated Rs 36,000 crore for Annapurna Yojana in its budget. Adhikari has now indicated that the government wants to raise this allocation to Rs 48,000 crore.
The proposed increase would strengthen the state’s financial commitment to the scheme. It could also help the government accommodate changes in the number of eligible beneficiaries as verification and enrolment continue.
The move comes as the government works to establish Annapurna Yojana as one of its major welfare programmes. The scheme has also become an important part of the BJP’s effort to deliver on its election promises.
Annapurna Yojana Replaces Lakshmir Bhandar
The Annapurna Yojana replaced Lakshmir Bhandar, which the previous TMC government launched in 2021. Lakshmir Bhandar became one of the most prominent welfare programmes in West Bengal and provided monthly financial assistance to eligible women.
Before the change, general-category beneficiaries received Rs 1,500 per month. Women from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities received Rs 1,700. The BJP promised a higher monthly payment during the 2026 Assembly election campaign.
The new government introduced Annapurna Yojana with a monthly payment of Rs 3,000. The scheme therefore represents a significant increase in the monthly assistance available to eligible women.
However, the government has also introduced a verification process. Officials have checked applications against voter records and other available information before approving beneficiaries.
First Tranche Reaches Women Beneficiaries
The government has already transferred the first tranche of money under Annapurna Yojana. According to Adhikari, the first payment reached nearly 1.1 crore women.
The government received around 1.6 crore applications for the scheme. Officials rejected around 26 lakh applications during the verification process. The government cited several reasons for the rejections, including deaths, doubts over citizenship or domicile status, deletion from voter rolls and multiple accounts.
The government said the approved beneficiary list stood at around 1.3 crore after the verification process. Officials also said eligible applicants who had not received the first payment would receive their money after the necessary processing.
The verification process has become a major part of the government’s implementation strategy. Adhikari has repeatedly stressed that public money should reach only eligible beneficiaries.
Focus on Transparency in Welfare Spending
The higher allocation proposal comes alongside the government’s emphasis on transparency. The BJP administration has argued that welfare schemes should reach genuine beneficiaries without duplication or irregularities.
In May, Adhikari claimed that around 30 lakh beneficiaries of the previous Lakshmir Bhandar scheme were ineligible. He cited issues involving voter-list deletions, citizenship applications and other verification concerns.
The government then introduced the application process for Annapurna Bhandar. Officials began checking beneficiary information before approving payments.
The administration has defended the process as necessary to protect public funds. At the same time, the government has said that eligible women should not lose their benefits because of the transition from one scheme to another.
The verification process has also triggered criticism from the opposition. The TMC has questioned the sharp reduction in the number of beneficiaries compared with the earlier scheme. The party has alleged that many women could lose financial support under the new system.
Women Remain Central to Welfare Strategy
The cash transfer programme forms part of a broader welfare strategy aimed at women in West Bengal. The new government has also introduced measures related to women’s mobility and social security.
Free travel for women on state-run buses became another major welfare promise of the BJP government. The administration has presented these initiatives as measures to improve women’s financial independence and access to public services.
Annapurna Yojana, however, remains the most direct financial support programme among these initiatives. The monthly payment provides beneficiaries with money that they can use according to their household needs.
The government believes such direct transfers can provide immediate support to women. It also sees the programme as a way to strengthen women’s economic participation within households.
Rs 48,000 Crore Allocation Could Expand Coverage
If the state increases the allocation to Rs 48,000 crore, the government will have a larger financial pool for the programme. The additional funds could help accommodate more eligible beneficiaries or support the scheme as the state’s beneficiary database changes.
The final impact will depend on the number of women who qualify under the government’s eligibility rules. The administration will also have to consider the state’s overall fiscal position and competing demands on the state budget.
For now, the government has focused on completing the initial rollout and ensuring that payments reach verified beneficiaries. The proposed increase suggests that it also wants to prepare financially for the scheme’s longer-term requirements.
Political Significance of the Scheme
The expansion of the women’s cash transfer programme also carries political significance. Lakshmir Bhandar played a major role in the TMC’s welfare politics. By replacing it with Annapurna Yojana and increasing the monthly benefit, the BJP government has sought to establish its own welfare model.
The higher proposed allocation could further strengthen that approach. It would show that the government intends to maintain a large financial commitment to women’s welfare rather than treat the programme as a short-term election promise.
At the same time, the government faces pressure to ensure that the scheme remains financially sustainable. It must also address concerns about rejected applications and make the verification process transparent.
Government Signals Long-Term Commitment
Suvendu Adhikari’s proposal to raise the allocation to Rs 48,000 crore signals a long-term commitment to the women’s cash transfer programme. The government has already begun transferring Rs 3,000 per month to approved beneficiaries through Annapurna Yojana.
The next challenge will be to expand the programme while maintaining accurate beneficiary records. The government will also need to ensure that genuine applicants receive their payments without unnecessary delays.
For women across West Bengal, the scheme could become an important source of household financial support. For the BJP government, it represents one of its most visible welfare commitments.
As the administration moves forward, the proposed Rs 48,000 crore allocation will remain closely watched. The final budgetary provision, beneficiary numbers and implementation details will determine the scale of Annapurna Yojana in the years ahead.
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