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Bengal Women Protest Delayed Annapurna Payments Amid Government Claims
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Moneycontrol•22-09-2026, 08:20
Bengal Women Protest Delayed Annapurna Payments Amid Government Claims
- •Women across West Bengal are protesting delayed Rs 3,000 monthly Annapurna Yojana payments, despite government claims of widespread disbursal.
- •Protests erupted in multiple districts, with women blocking roads and gathering at block offices, demanding intervention for pending applications.
- •The agitation follows a September 17 announcement by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari that Rs 3,000 had been transferred to 1.58 crore beneficiaries.
- •Many protesters, some previously receiving Lakshmir Bhandar, reported not receiving any Annapurna payments months after applying.
- •Officials attribute delays to verification issues, incorrect information, and lack of Aadhaar-bank linkage, assuring eligible women will receive funds.
Key Questions Answered
Women across multiple West Bengal districts staged protests and blocked roads because they have not received their monthly Rs 3,000 Annapurna Yojana payments despite applying months ago, even after the state government announced recent disbursements.
State officials have attributed the payment delays to thorough application verification, incorrect information, lack of Aadhaar-bank account linkage, and other technical discrepancies, noting that eligible women will receive funds once issues are resolved.
Notified on May 19 and officially launched on June 3, the Annapurna Yojana replaced Lakshmir Bhandar to provide Rs 3,000 a month to eligible women aged 25 to 60.
