West Bengal government clarifies Annapurna Yojana payment schedule

The West Bengal state government has addressed concerns regarding the Annapurna Yojana, a welfare scheme providing Rs 3,000 in monthly financial aid to women. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari clarified that despite reports of delays, the scheme will continue and funds will be deposited into the accounts of eligible beneficiaries shortly.

Beneficiaries who submitted applications by July 10 and have successfully passed the verification process can expect to receive their Rs 3,000 installment starting August 17. Applications submitted between July 11 and July 31 are still undergoing verification, and those individuals may face longer wait times.

The scheme, which replaced the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme, has seen a significant increase in interest, with applications rising from 11.9 million at launch to 21.6 million by July 31. The government has indicated that from September onward, payments are expected to be issued regularly during the second week of each month.

Detailed eligibility criteria—including the mention that women between 25 and 60 years of age may be eligible—will be officially disclosed during a press conference held by the Chief Minister and Minister of State for Women, Child Development, and Social Welfare, Malati Rava Roy, on August 10.