Annapurna Yojana Portal

The Annapurna Yojana or the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme (earlier called Matri Shakti Bharosa Scheme) is a women’s welfare scheme in West Bengal, effective from 3 June 2026. This scheme replaces the existing Lakshmir Bandhar Scheme. Its primary objective is to provide financial support for women’s empowerment and socio-economic upliftment of women. The monthly amount provided under this scheme helps women manage household expenses and support their healthcare needs. It reduces financial burden on families and improves their standard of living.

Income taxpayers. Permanent or retired government employee. Receiving a regular salary or pension from the state or central government, panchayats, statutory bodies, local bodies, municipalities or government-aided educational institutions. Employed in a teaching or non-teaching role in any government-aided educational institution in West Bengal.

All existing Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme beneficiaries will be migrated to the Annapurna Yojana, except the following: Dead, shifted, deleted and absentee electors identified during SIR 2026; Deletion in the second list after publication of draft list; Deleted after adjudication; Those marked as ASDD (Absent, Shifted, Dead, or Duplicate) found during voter slip distribution. Around 2.20 crore people are enrolled under the Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme. Out of which, 30 lakh scheme beneficiaries were found ineligible by the government as they were non-Indian citizens, their names were permanently removed from the voter list or they had not applied to a SIR-linked tribunal or for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for inclusion. Thus, there will finally be around 2 crore beneficiaries for the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme.

Ensure you fill out the application form accurately, as errors can lead to rejection or delays. Personal Information: Write your full name as per Aadhaar card, DOB in DD/MM/YYYY. Address Details: Provide permanent address with PIN code as per residence proof. Bank Account Information: Provide active Aadhaar-linked bank account number, bank name and IFSC. Income Details: Fill annual family income and attach income certificate if required. Declaration and Signature: Carefully read the declaration and sign / thumb impression. Review: Double-check all details for spelling mistakes or mismatches.

Online Application Process (yet to begin): Register/login on official portal → Click ‘New Application’ / ‘Apply Online’ → Enter mobile number & OTP → Fill form with personal/family details → Upload required documents → Submit and note reference number → Wait for verification. Offline Application Process (started 27 May 2026): Visit nearest govt camp, block/municipality office → Collect and submit filled form with self-attested documents → Receive acknowledgement receipt → Wait for verification.

Online: Visit the scheme’s official portal, click ‘Track Application’ and enter the Application Reference Number. Offline: Visit the local block or municipal office and provide the acknowledgement receipt.

The West Bengal government will publish the beneficiary list at block, panchayat, and booth levels. Citizens can raise objections if ineligible names appear. Eligible applicants who have been left out can reapply. The beneficiary lists are finalised based on recommendations from Sub-Divisional Officers, BDOs, and municipal authorities.

Many women may need to update bank accounts due to inactive/closed accounts, incorrect details, or DBT failures. Since existing Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries will be auto-migrated, ensure your Aadhaar-linked bank account is active. To update, use the NPCI Aadhaar Seeding Enabler (BASE) portal (process detailed below).

Step 1: Go to official NPCI website. Step 2: Click ‘Customer’ → ‘Bharat Aadhaar Seeding Enabler (BASE)’. Step 3: Click ‘Aadhaar Mapped Status’. Step 4: Enter Aadhaar Number & captcha → ‘Check Status’. Step 5: Enter OTP sent to Aadhaar-linked mobile. Step 6: The current linked bank account, bank name, and DBT status will appear.

Step 1: Go to NPCI website. Step 2: Customer → BASE. Step 3: ‘Aadhaar Mapped Status’. Step 4: Enter Aadhaar & OTP verification. Step 5: Newly linked bank account name will appear if update successful. Also verify via myAadhaar portal → ‘Bank Seeding Status’ tab. Note: DBT payment is only to the Aadhaar-linked account, so keep it active.

The current WB government has committed to fully launching the scheme by mid-2026. Chief Minister directed implementation from 1 June 2026. Official notification released 19 May 2026 with eligibility, application process, and beneficiary selection details. The Annapurna Yojana form was released 27 May 2026 (both online and offline). 90 days given to fill the application form. The scheme was formally launched on 3 June 2026 at Nabanna. It is a women’s empowerment initiative providing ₹3,000 per month directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts for monthly expenses.