1 week ago
Bengal Government Opens Centres Amid Annapurna Grant Protests
The Annapurna Yojana gives eligible women ₹3,000 each month.
Some women did not receive the money and began protesting outside government offices.
The government has told offices in all 351 blocks to open help centres.
Women can use these centres to report problems and submit their claims.
Officials will check the claims again.
Women found eligible may be added to the beneficiary list.
The government received 1.80 crore applications and found 1.45 crore eligible after checking many forms.
Some officials said payments would reach eligible women by August 20, while another source said remaining eligible applicants would receive money from September.
Protesters are also upset because the new scheme has stricter rules than the earlier Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.
The government ordered facilitation centres in all 351 blocks for women who did not receive Annapurna Yojana grants.
Officials said women can register claims at block offices for verification and possible inclusion among beneficiaries.
Of 1.80 crore applications, 1.62 crore had been verified and 1.45 crore deemed eligible.
The government said ₹3,000 transfers began August 17, reaching 1.37 crore women so far.
Officials attributed protests to rejected or pending applications and eligibility rules differing from Lakshmir Bhandar.
- Who
- The Bengal government, block development officers, aggrieved women applicants, and officials overseeing the Annapurna Yojana.
- What
- The government ordered facilitation centres to help women register claims for missing Annapurna grants.
- Where
- At block development offices across Bengal’s 351 blocks; protests also occurred at government offices, including in Midnapore.
- When
- The order was issued Friday; transfers began August 17, with officials citing August 20 and September timelines for payments.
- Why
- Women protested after payments were missing, applications were rejected or remained unverified, and new eligibility rules excluded some applicants.
Government and scheme officials
Aggrieved applicants and critics
Reason for missing payments
Government and scheme officials
Officials said some applications were rejected for failing to meet criteria, while others were still awaiting verification or may have contained incorrect information.
Aggrieved applicants and critics
Protesting women believed that missing payments meant their applications had been rejected and demanded resolution of their claims.
Eligibility rules
Government and scheme officials
The government applied new criteria excluding income-tax payers, people earning more than ₹10,000 monthly, and some applicants with specified land or housing holdings.
Aggrieved applicants and critics
Critics said the BJP had promised Annapurna benefits to Lakshmir Bhandar recipients, while the new criteria excluded many women who had previously received support.
Government response
Government and scheme officials
The government said facilitation centres would let women register claims and receive benefits if verification confirmed their eligibility.
Aggrieved applicants and critics
Some officials and protesters indicated that assurances might not end the agitation, warning that demonstrations could resume if the problem remained unresolved.
Key facts
- Scheme
- Annapurna Yojana
- Monthly benefit
- ₹3,000 per eligible woman
- Applications received
- 1.80 crore
- Applications verified
- 1.62 crore
- Applications found eligible
- 1.45 crore
- Women paid so far
- 1.37 crore
- Facilitation centres
- One in each of Bengal’s 351 blocks
- Reported eligibility exclusions
- Income-tax payers, people earning over ₹10,000 monthly, and applicants exceeding specified property criteria
Quotes
A senior government official
A government official discussing the grievance-registration process
“It may take another two-three days to send money to the accounts of the remaining eligible women. The verification of the remaining applications is on, and the eligible women would start receiving the benefits from September.”
telegraphindia.com
“The BDOs should help register the women's claims for verification, and if found eligible, their names could be added to the list of beneficiaries.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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