The West Bengal government is grappling with challenges as it gears up to launch the Annapurna Yojana, a cash transfer program set to double monthly incentives for women. The plan,which boosts payments from ₹1,500 to ₹3,000,was a major promise from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the 2026 assembly elections. Now,Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari must verify who qualifies under existing Lakshmir Bhandar scheme before kicking off the new initiative.
On Wednesday,Adhikari rolled out an 11-page application form that beneficiaries need to fill out to join Annapurna Yojana. This form demands a lot of paperwork,including land records,Aadhaar cards,PAN cards, and bank information for all family members. Expect the verification process to take 90 days, while the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme continues. The application’s complexity might create hurdles for about 2.2 crore beneficiaries.
Adhikari noted that around 30 lakh people currently benefiting from Lakshmir Bhandar could be ineligible for various reasons,like being non-Indians or having names missing from the voter list. This raises concerns about the financial impact of Annapurna Yojana,which could cost the state ₹6,000 crore each month,totaling ₹72,000 crore a year. With the interim budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year set at ₹4.06 lakh crore,the new scheme could eat up 18% of the state budget.
The financial weight of Annapurna Yojana is pushing the government to tread carefully,delaying its rollout. Anuradha Talwar from the Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity called the application process an "Agni Pariksha," or trial by fire,for women who previously faced a simpler application under Lakshmir Bhandar. The new form asks for detailed socio-economic data, which critics say could be a way to make accessing funds tougher .
Concerns are surfacing about the government's strategy of using cash incentives to enforce compliance with new requirements. Union of Agricultural Workers questioned whether it’s fair to burden women with so much paperwork for relatively small financial benefit.
As BJP government tackles these issues, it also needs to deliver on another big promise: implementing the 7th pay commission for state employees and paying Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears. This commitment,first made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah,is now under scrutiny after Supreme Court ruling in February 2026 ordered the state to pay DA arrears from 2008 to 2019 to nearly 20 lakh government workers. The estimated cost of these arrears is around ₹40,000 crore,further straining the state's finances.
The West Bengal government is at crucial point,trying to balance electoral promises with fiscal realities. How well it rolls out the Annapurna Yojana and meets other commitments will be closely watched as administration seeks to build its credibility amid growing financial pressures.
