GovtSchemesRegister EN | हिंदी

File No. SS-WB-SWE-002 · West Bengal State Scheme · Dept. of Women Development & Social Welfare

Annapurna Bhandar Scheme

₹3,000 a month for eligible West Bengal women aged 25-60 from economically weaker households — the enhanced successor to the earlier Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.

Note: if you're searching for "Lakshmir Bhandar," this is its current name and higher benefit level — the scheme was rebranded and the amount raised from June 2026. Existing Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries are being migrated automatically, though an eligibility audit has also removed some previously enrolled beneficiaries found ineligible.

What this scheme offers

Originally launched as Lakshmir Bhandar in 2021, this direct cash transfer scheme paid eligible women ₹1,000-₹1,200/month at launch, later raised to ₹1,500 (general category) or ₹1,700 (SC/ST). As of June 2026, the scheme has been relaunched as Annapurna Bhandar (also called Annapurna Yojana), paying a flat ₹3,000/month to all eligible women regardless of category — a significant increase over the earlier tiered amounts. Receiving this benefit does not disqualify a woman from also receiving central schemes like PM Matru Vandana Yojana or PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, since it's treated as a state-level income support payment rather than disqualifying income for central scheme purposes — though it's always worth confirming this with the specific scheme's implementing office, since rules can be interpreted differently case by case.

Who is eligible

  • Women aged 25 to 60, and permanent residents of West Bengal.
  • From an economically weaker household — not a government employee or pensioner (central, state, statutory body, government undertaking, panchayat, municipal, or teaching/non-teaching staff at a government-aided institution).
  • Household must have no income-tax-paying member.
  • Aadhaar must be linked to the woman's bank account, with Swasthya Sathi enrolment also required (provisional registration is possible if you don't yet have a Swasthya Sathi card).
  • For general category applicants, household landholding must fall within the prescribed limit.

Documents required

  • Aadhaar card, linked to bank account
  • Passport-size photograph
  • Swasthya Sathi card (or provisional registration)
  • Residence proof

How to apply

  1. Application forms are available free of cost at Duare Sarkar camps, held periodically across West Bengal.
  2. Fill out the application form and submit it, along with your photo and Aadhaar-linked bank details, at the camp.
  3. You'll receive an acknowledgment receipt after submission.
  4. The Block Development Officer or Sub-Divisional Officer uploads your details to the portal for scrutiny.
  5. Once approved, the sanction is forwarded to the District Magistrate; you're notified of acceptance or rejection via SMS.
  6. For payment issues after approval, contact your District Social Welfare Officer first, then the District Programme Officer if unresolved; if there's no response within 30 days, escalate to the District Magistrate's public grievance window.

Related schemes