Bharat Newz 24*7
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday formally launched the state’s flagship Annapurna Yojana, describing it as a welfare initiative designed to ensure that financial assistance reaches only eligible women. Speaking at a large public programme at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, the Chief Minister used the occasion to launch a sharp political attack on the previous administration, alleging widespread irregularities in the implementation of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.
Addressing thousands of beneficiaries from Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas, Adhikari questioned how male beneficiaries allegedly received financial assistance under a scheme meant exclusively for women.
> “Under the previous government, nearly one million men were found among the beneficiaries. Should money meant for women have gone to men? Why should men receive funds under Lakshmir Bhandar?” he asked.
The remarks immediately became one of the biggest political talking points of the day as the BJP government sought to draw a distinction between its welfare delivery model and that of its predecessor.
Over 13 Million Women Receive Direct Benefit Transfer
The state government said that financial assistance was transferred directly into the bank accounts of more than 13.4 million women through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system. According to officials, all eligible beneficiaries were expected to receive the money by the end of the day.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the government had carried out an extensive verification exercise before releasing the funds.
> “Around 2.6 million applications were rejected because they did not meet the eligibility criteria. Government money must reach only those who qualify. We do not want any ineligible person to benefit from this scheme,” Adhikari told the gathering.
He then asked the audience whether such scrutiny was justified, drawing a loud response of “No” when he questioned whether anyone objected to ensuring only deserving applicants received assistance.
Government Defends Verification Process
According to the state government, more than 16 million women had submitted Family-Level Data Collection Forms to enrol under Annapurna Yojana. These applications were uploaded to the government’s digital portal and subjected to multiple rounds of scrutiny, including digital verification.
Adhikari explained that the administration initially received nearly 27 million records, which were later consolidated into approximately 16 million verified applications after data cleaning and duplication checks.
Following the verification process, 2.6 million applications were rejected, leaving around 13 million eligible beneficiaries. By Wednesday afternoon, the government had already started transferring funds to 10,992,378 women, while an additional 122,628 women from the hill regions were also included under the scheme.
The Chief Minister said the verification exercise was aimed at protecting public money and ensuring transparency in welfare distribution.
CAA Applicants Will Continue Receiving Benefits
Making another important announcement, Adhikari said refugees from Bangladesh who have applied under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), as well as individuals whose citizenship-related cases remain pending before tribunals, would continue receiving benefits until their cases are finally decided.
The announcement was presented as an assurance that ongoing legal proceedings would not automatically deprive applicants of welfare assistance.
Sharp Criticism of Lakshmir Bhandar
Adhikari devoted a significant portion of his speech to criticising the previous government’s implementation of Lakshmir Bhandar.
According to him, government audits had uncovered several irregularities, including beneficiaries who were allegedly not Indian citizens, duplicate entries, and payments made to people no longer residing in the state.
He also claimed that approximately one million men had received benefits despite the scheme being exclusively intended for women.
> “We found people who were not Indian citizens, people whose names appeared multiple times, and even men receiving payments. This should never have happened,” he alleged.
The Chief Minister added that his government had made substantial progress in implementing promises made before the Assembly elections.
> “It has been only one and a half months since we assumed office, but we are already moving rapidly to fulfil the guarantees promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said while thanking the Prime Minister for supporting the state’s welfare initiatives.
Explaining the 12-Page Application Form
The Annapurna Yojana application process had earlier attracted criticism because applicants were required to submit a 12-page form.
Responding to those concerns, Adhikari clarified that only four pages actually required information from applicants.
> “People criticised the twelve-page application, but in reality only four pages had to be filled. Once your information is uploaded to the portal, you will not have to repeatedly submit forms for various central and state government welfare schemes,” he explained.
He said the digital database would simplify access to multiple government programmes in the future.
Pink Card for Women to Be Introduced
The Chief Minister also announced another major initiative aimed at women commuters.
After recently introducing free travel on all government buses for women, the government now plans to launch a dedicated Pink Card.
The card will serve as proof of eligibility for free travel on state-run buses.
At the same time, Adhikari acknowledged women who voluntarily continue paying their bus fares despite being eligible for free travel.
> “Many women say they earn enough and prefer not to use free tickets. I bow before them with respect,” he said.
However, he added that the Pink Card would ensure that women who genuinely need the facility could continue to access it without difficulty.
Focus on Healthcare Reforms
Earlier in the day, on the occasion of Doctors’ Day, Adhikari attended a felicitation ceremony at Swasthya Bhavan, where four distinguished doctors were honoured.
During his address, he stressed that rebuilding West Bengal’s healthcare system would remain one of his government’s highest priorities.
Drawing comparisons with other Indian cities, he expressed concern over the migration of talented Bengali doctors while patients from West Bengal continue to seek treatment outside the state.
> “Bengal has some of the finest medical talent in the world. Our doctors excel globally, yet patients from our own state travel elsewhere for treatment. People in other states have Ayushman Bharat cards, while many in Bengal continue paying huge hospital bills. That was never acceptable,” he said.
The Chief Minister also noted that the state had recently signed the Ayushman Bharat Memorandum of Understanding, calling it an important step toward improving healthcare access across West Bengal.
The launch of Annapurna Yojana, coupled with fresh welfare announcements and pointed criticism of previous policies, underscored the BJP government’s attempt to position itself as a stronger administrator focused on targeted welfare delivery, digital verification and financial accountability. Whether these initiatives translate into long-term political gains is likely to remain a key issue in West Bengal’s evolving political landscape.
