West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has said that the first phase of fund transfers under the Annapurna Yojana will commence on June 3, 2026, with eligible women beneficiaries receiving ₹3,000 directly in their bank accounts.

An order issued by the State Secretariat said that the Chief Minister will inaugurate the scheme on June 3. Beneficiaries are expected to participate virtually from block- and municipal-level venues. As part of the launch, sanction letters will be distributed to selected beneficiaries immediately after the inauguration. According to the order, 100 beneficiaries each from every block, municipality and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation will receive sanction letters on the day.

Annapurna Yojana

Under the scheme, women will receive ₹3,000 per month. The existing Lakshmir Bhandar scheme will continue until the new programme is fully implemented.

“Like we are continuing Swasthya Sathi till its conversion to Ayushman Bharat is complete, similarly, until the Annapurna Yojana is fully rolled out, Lakshmir Bhandar will continue. From tomorrow, the process for Annapurna Yojana begins,” he said.

Mr. Adhikari said a form for the Annapurna Yojana would be released from the State secretariat on Wednesday (May 27, 2026) evening, along with Minister Agnimitra Paul.

He said forms for the scheme would be issued from Nabanna and made available both online and offline.

“I, along with Minister Agnimitra Paul, will be publishing a form for Annapurna Yojana from Nabanna tomorrow in the presence of the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary. Detailed guidelines will also be announced,” he said.

New cash assistance scheme for women

The Chief Minister said beneficiaries would begin receiving payments soon after enrolment and verification.

“As and when forms are filled up, ₹3,000 will start getting credited into beneficiaries’ accounts. The faster people complete registration, the faster they will receive benefits,” Mr. Adhikari said.

Mr. Adhikari said MLAs and district officials would assist women in completing the application process. “People will not be left entirely on their own. MLAs will help beneficiaries fill out forms, while teams under Block Development Officers will go door-to-door to assist applicants,” he said.

Mr. Adhikari also asserted that only Indian citizens would be eligible for the scheme. “Keep in mind that only Indians will get this opportunity. India’s money is not meant for infiltrators coming from Bangladesh. This has been made very clear,” he said.

Annapurna Yojana form

On May 27, 2026, Mr. Adhikari released an application form for enrolment under the Annapurna Yojana, stating that the initiative is aimed at ensuring that benefits reach genuine recipients. He said the Department of Women and Child Welfare, headed by Minister Agnimitra Paul, would serve as the nodal authority for the scheme.

The Chief Minister said government officials would visit households to assist applicants in filling out forms so that eligible beneficiaries are not left out. He added that there would be a 90-day verification process, and that even those currently enrolled under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme would be required to apply afresh.

Mr. Adhikari alleged that nearly 30 lakh beneficiaries under Lakshmir Bhandar were ineligible, either because they were non-citizens or because their names had been permanently deleted from electoral rolls. “We will continue the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme until the forms are filled and enrolment is completed for Annapurna Yojana,” he said.

Extensive application form

The 11-page application form has, however, drawn criticism from several quarters, with some alleging that the extensive documentation requirements could result in the exclusion of genuine beneficiaries. The form seeks detailed particulars of applicants and their family members, including land records, Aadhaar numbers, PAN details and bank information.

The Trinamool Congress criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party government’s Annapurna Yojana in West Bengal, citing the cumbersome nature of the application process. The State Congress president has also written to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, urging him to simplify the procedure.

Responding to the criticism on May 28, 2026, Ms. Paul defended the form, saying the government was keen to ensure that welfare benefits are extended only to Indian citizens. She also criticised the Trinamool Congress, asserting that the present dispensation would not allow non-citizens to avail themselves of State-run welfare schemes.

SIT to probe Lakshmi Bhandar scheme irregularities

On June 1, 2026, Mr. Adhikari said he had directed the Director General of Police to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe alleged irregularities in Lakshmir Bhandar, a cash transfer scheme introduced by the previous Trinamool Congress government.

Addressing a press conference at Nabanna, the State Secretariat, he said a money laundering investigation would also be carried out, given the allegations of illegal fund transfers. The Chief Minister further claimed that men had also availed themselves of benefits intended exclusively for women under the scheme.

“Nearly 30 lakh Lakshmir Bhandar accounts are fake. I have asked the DGP to form an SIT to investigate the matter,” Mr. Adhikari said.

Online portal for verification

According to the government communication, a dedicated online portal is being developed for authentication of beneficiaries, correction of records and rationalisation of the database.

“The monitoring is being carried out at the highest level. District-wise progress reports are being submitted to the Chief Secretary every evening to ensure adherence to timelines,” the official added. The order further stated that the verification and database cleansing exercise must be completed by May 25.

Eligibility criteria

Women aged between 25 and 60 years, who are not permanent government employees receiving salaries or pensions and who do not pay income tax, will be eligible for financial assistance of ₹3,000 per month under the Annapurna Yojana.

The assistance will be credited through the Direct Benefit Transfer system to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts in the name of the beneficiary.

The government has also announced that an online application portal will be launched on June 1 to accommodate fresh applicants for the scheme.

The notice stated that new applications would be examined by authorised government or Kolkata municipal officials, depending on the applicant’s place of residence.