1 week ago
Annapurna Payment Protests Spread Across Bengal, Minister Faces Anger
Many women in Bengal say they were promised ₹3,000 each month under the Annapurna Yojana.
They say their applications were approved, but the money did not arrive in their bank accounts.
Women protested at government offices in several districts.
Some protesters blocked railway tracks and a national highway.
Minister Agnimitra Paul met women after they entered a meeting in Midnapore.
Officials said mistakes in house details and family income records caused some applications to be delayed or flagged.
They said some cases were still being checked rather than fully rejected.
The protesting women said these explanations did not solve their financial problems.
Political parties blamed each other over the delays and the scheme’s promises.
Women across Bengal protested delayed ₹3,000 monthly Annapurna Yojana payments, saying approved applications remained unpaid.
Minister Agnimitra Paul left an administrative meeting in Midnapore to hear protesters and promised a nodal authority would examine their complaints.
Demonstrators gathered at government offices and blocked railway tracks at Birati and NH31 at Falakata.
Officials cited incorrect housing details, income-tax records and automated scrutiny as reasons applications were pending or flagged.
Trinamool Congress blamed the BJP government, while a BJP MLA said officials were trying to resolve the problem and rejected political escalation.
- Who
- Women seeking Annapurna Yojana payments, Minister Agnimitra Paul, government officials, the BJP and Trinamool Congress.
- What
- Protests over delayed or missing ₹3,000 monthly assistance payments, including blockades of railway tracks and a highway.
- Where
- Midnapore and multiple districts of West Bengal, including North 24-Parganas, Hooghly, Bankura, Alipurduar and others.
- When
- The protests and ministerial confrontation occurred on Friday; some women said payments had been missing for three months.
- Why
- Protesters said approved applications had not produced payments, while officials cited application errors, income records and automated verification issues.
Trinamool Congress and protesting beneficiaries
BJP representatives and government officials
Cause of missing payments
Trinamool Congress and protesting beneficiaries
Beneficiaries said they were eligible and had approved applications but still had not received money, and remained unconvinced by official explanations.
BJP representatives and government officials
Officials said incorrect application data, family income records and automated scrutiny caused cases to be flagged or kept pending for verification.
Political responsibility
Trinamool Congress and protesting beneficiaries
Trinamool Congress said the BJP government had gone back on its poll promises and was harming women’s expectations.
BJP representatives and government officials
A BJP MLA said the state government was trying to settle the problem and accused Trinamool and the CPM of provoking some protests.
Value of the scheme
Trinamool Congress and protesting beneficiaries
One beneficiary said Lakshmir Bhandar had been a better scheme and that the payment delay had created serious financial difficulty.
BJP representatives and government officials
The government-side account focused on reviewing disputed applications and resolving data-related problems, without conceding that the scheme itself had failed.
Key facts
- Promised assistance
- ₹3,000 per month under the Annapurna Yojana
- Minister involved
- Agnimitra Paul, municipal affairs and urban development minister
- Midnapore incident
- Women entered the district magistrate’s office during an administrative meeting and raised slogans
- Transport blockades
- Railway tracks were blocked at Birati and NH31 was blocked at Falakata
- Cited application problems
- Incorrect dwelling-room numbers, including entries listing toilets as rooms, and income-tax PAN records
- Official position
- Some applications were kept pending for further verification rather than rejected
- Political response
- Trinamool Congress called the scheme a broken promise, while a BJP MLA said the government was working to resolve the issue
Quotes
Agnimitra Paul
West Bengal municipal affairs and urban development minister
“People made unintended mistakes while submitting data in their applications. Many people submitted room numbers as more than three and even included toilets as rooms, creating problems for them. In many cases, income-tax PAN details of family members showed incomes that made the applicants ineligible. The AI-based software accepted the submitted data and approved some applications, while in other cases, it detected discrepancies. But none of the applications has been rejected; they have been keп”
telegraphindia.com
“I am sorry to say that many Trinamool Congress people are sitting inside (these offices). Many (of them) are creating a ruckus. I will inform the chief minister (about Trinamool’s role in the protest)”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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