West Bengal Annapurna Bhandar Scheme 2026: Women To Get INR 3,000 Monthly; Check Registration Process, Who Is Eligible and Other Details

The West Bengal government is preparing to launch the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme 2026, a major welfare initiative aimed at providing financial assistance to women across the state. Under the new scheme, eligible women will receive INR 3,000 every month directly in their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.

The announcement was made by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during an administrative review meeting in Kalyani on May 26, 2026. The Chief Minister confirmed that the registration process for the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme will begin from May 27, 2026, with application forms available both online and offline.

Women to Get INR 3,000 Per Month Under Annapurna Bhandar Scheme

The Annapurna Bhandar Scheme has been introduced to provide direct financial support to women and improve household financial security. Eligible beneficiaries will receive INR 3,000 per month after successful registration and verification. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar Resigns From All TMC Posts After Attending Meeting Chaired by Suvendu Adhikari.

The state government has also clarified that the existing Lakshmir Bhandar scheme will continue until the complete rollout of the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme. Current beneficiaries are expected to be gradually migrated to the new system after authentication and verification.

Online and Offline Forms to Be Released

According to the state government, application forms for the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme will be issued from Nabanna and made accessible through both online and offline modes. Suvendu Adhikari’s Security Strengthened, State Police and Central Forces To Protect West Bengal CM After PA Chandranath Rath’s Murder.

A dedicated online portal is also being developed for beneficiary authentication, correction of records, and submission of fresh applications. The portal is expected to become operational from June 1, 2026.

District administrations and Block Development Officer (BDO) teams have reportedly been instructed to assist women in completing the registration process through local outreach and door-to-door support drives.

Annapurna Bhandar Scheme Eligibility Criteria

The government has outlined the eligibility requirements for women applying under the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme.

Women aged between 25 and 60 years will be eligible for the monthly financial assistance. However, the following categories will not qualify for benefits:

• Permanent government employees
• Government pension recipients
• Income tax payers
• Duplicate or ineligible beneficiaries identified during verification

The monthly assistance of INR 3,000 will be transferred only to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts registered in the beneficiary’s name.

Verification and Database Cleansing Exercise Underway

Ahead of the scheme launch, the West Bengal government has initiated a verification and database cleansing exercise to identify eligible beneficiaries and remove incorrect or duplicate records.

As per official notifications, existing Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries will be migrated to the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme database except those marked as dead, shifted, absentee, duplicate, or otherwise ineligible during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 process.

Officials have also been directed to ensure Aadhaar authentication and proper bank account linkage to facilitate smooth Direct Benefit Transfers.

Fresh Applications to Open From June 1

The state government has announced that fresh applications under the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme will begin through a dedicated online portal from June 1, 2026.

Applications submitted online will be verified by authorised government officials or Kolkata Municipal Corporation authorities, depending on the applicant’s residential area.

The government has indicated that eligible beneficiaries may begin receiving monthly payments soon after successful registration and verification.

Only Indian Citizens Eligible for Benefits

During the announcement, the Chief Minister stated that only Indian citizens would be eligible to receive benefits under the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme. The government said the scheme is intended exclusively for eligible residents and genuine beneficiaries within the state.

With the launch of the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme 2026, the West Bengal government aims to strengthen women-centric welfare initiatives while improving transparency and efficiency through digital verification and DBT-based financial assistance.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 27, 2026 05:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).