The West Bengal government has recently announced a new welfare scheme called ‘Annapurna Yojana’ under which, eligible women in the state will receive a monthly financial assistance of Rs 3,000 directly in their respective bank accounts.Annapurna Yojana will come into effect from June 1, 2026, according to a notification issued by the West Bengal government’s Finance Department on May 19, 2026.The Annapurna scheme has been introduced with the aim of providing an assured monthly financial assistance of Rs 3,000 to women residing in West Bengal.Under the new initiative, the monthly amount will be transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of Annapurna Yojana beneficiaries.Who is eligible for West Bengal’s Annapurna scheme?According to the notification, women aged between 25 and 60 years will be eligible for the scheme, subject to certain conditions. Annapurna Yojana beneficiaries must not be employed in any permanent government job or must not be receiving salary or pension from the central or the state government, statutory bodies, government undertakings, panchayats, municipal bodies or aided educational institutions. Women paying income tax will also not be eligible for the Annapurna scheme.What is the financial amount fixed under Annapurna Yojana?The stipulated financial assistance of Rs 3,000 per month will be credited directly through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the Aadhaar-linked bank account number of an Annapurna Yojana beneficiary.The Annapurna scheme will be effective from June 1, 2026.Will all Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries be eligible for Annapurna Yojana?All current Lakshmi Bhandar Scheme beneficiaries will be transferred to Annapurna Yojana, with the exception of those who were identified as dead, shifted, deleted and absentee voters during SIR-2026, deleted in the second list following the publication of the draft list, deleted following adjudication, or ASDD discovered during the distribution of voter slips.Beneficiaries who have submitted their appeals to the SIR Tribunal or applications under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act will receive financial support under the new scheme until their cases are resolved.Similarly, names of deceased and relocated beneficiaries will be routinely removed in the future.Can new beneficiaries apply for Annapurna Yojana?Yes. The government will launch an online application facility through the Annapurna Yojana portal from June 1, 2026.How the application process of Annapurna Yojana will workOnce the application is submitted, the government personnel will properly investigate the applications received under Annapurna Yojana. Following investigation and verification, Sub-Divisional Officers (SDOs) in urban areas and Block Development Officers (BDOs) in rural areas will suggest the online list of qualified candidates to the respective District Magistrates for approval.This procedure must be carried out by Kolkata Municipal Corporation authorities in areas under their authority. The Annapurna Yojana portal will host the inquiry report for approved cases, the notification said.