The state government on Wednesday rolled out the Annapurna Yojana, transferring benefits to over 1.10 crore eligible women across West Bengal during a programme held at Netaji Indoor Stadium. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the scheme marks a major welfare initiative aimed at providing monthly financial assistance to women aged between 25 and 60 years who meet the eligibility criteria.
Under the scheme, beneficiaries will receive ₹3,000 per month, with funds directly credited to their bank accounts. According to official data, the government received around 1.60 crore applications, of which 26 lakh were rejected following preliminary verification. Out of the remaining applications, approximately 1.09 crore beneficiaries received the first installment on Wednesday, while others will be added to the system after verification through a dedicated upcoming portal.
The Chief Minister emphasized that strict scrutiny will be maintained to prevent misuse of public funds. He stated that many ineligible applicants, including cases of duplicate entries, deceased individuals, and those who had permanently migrated out of the state, were identified during the verification process.
Officials also noted that the new scheme has been designed to avoid irregularities that were previously reported under earlier welfare programmes. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Malati Rava Roy said certain categories, including government employees, income taxpayers, and families whose children do not study in government or aided schools, have been excluded from the scheme.
Authorities added that with stricter eligibility checks in place, the total number of beneficiaries is expected to stabilize significantly in the coming months as the verification process continues.