The West Bengal government launched the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme on 3 June 2026, replacing the Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme. Eligible women between 25 and 60 years receive ₹3,000 per month directly to their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts through the Central Government's DBT system. Around 2 crore women are expected to benefit. Applications are open online and offline until 25 August 2026.
What is the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme?
Annapurna Bhandar is a West Bengal government women's welfare scheme that pays ₹3,000 per month (₹36,000 per year) directly to beneficiaries' Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts through DBT, with no application fee. In Bengali it is written অন্নপূর্ণা ভান্ডার, and is also commonly spelled Annapurna Vandar or Annopurna Bhandar in search.
Annapurna Bhandar replaced the Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme, which paid ₹500 to ₹1,000 per month depending on category. The benefit is three to six times higher. Existing Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries do not need to apply again. Most are automatically migrated.
Eligibility: Who Can and Cannot Apply
To qualify for Annapurna Bhandar, you must be a woman aged 25 to 60 and a permanent resident of West Bengal, and you must not be an income taxpayer or government employee. All three conditions must be true:
- You are a woman
- You are a permanent resident of West Bengal
- You are between 25 and 60 years of age
You are not eligible if any of the following applies:
- You are an income taxpayer (file and pay income tax)
- You are a permanent or retired government employee
- You receive a salary or pension from the state or central government, panchayats, statutory bodies, local bodies, municipalities, or government-aided educational institutions
- You are a teaching or non-teaching employee at a government-aided educational institution in West Bengal
Documents Required
These four documents are required for every application:
- Aadhaar card
- Bank passbook: first page showing account number and Aadhaar seeding status
- Voter ID card (proof of West Bengal residency)
- Recent passport-size photograph
Some offices may additionally ask for a ration card or a birth certificate or school leaving certificate as supporting proof of age. Carry photocopies of all documents when submitting offline.
How to Apply for Annapurna Bhandar Online
How to Apply Offline
If you cannot apply online, visit any of the following locations with your original documents and photocopies:
- Duare Sarkar camp (when active in your area)
- Gram panchayat office (rural areas)
- Municipal corporation or ward office (urban areas)
Collect the form at the office, fill it in block letters, attach document photocopies, and submit. Always ask for a written acknowledgement with your application number. Without it, you cannot track your status.
Annapurna Bhandar Form: Download
Download the official application form directly from the Social Registry West Bengal portal. Physical forms are also available free at all Duare Sarkar camps, gram panchayat offices, and municipal ward offices.
Fill the form in block letters. The name you enter must match your Aadhaar card exactly, including spelling. A mismatch is one of the most common reasons for rejection.
How to Check Your Annapurna Bhandar Application Status
Check your status at socialregistry.wb.gov.in/citizen by entering your application number or Aadhaar number. The steps:
Without internet access, check in person at the gram panchayat office or the Duare Sarkar camp where you applied. You can also contact the Women and Child Welfare Department helpline listed on the wb.gov.in website.
What Your Application Status Means
The portal shows one of seven statuses. Here is what each means and what to do next:
How to Check the Annapurna Bhandar Beneficiary List
The confirmed beneficiary list is at the Social Registry West Bengal citizen portal under the Beneficiary List section. Search by district, block, and gram panchayat or ward. Lists are also posted at gram panchayat offices and refreshed every 7 days per the Women and Child Welfare Department guidelines.
If your name does not appear after your status shows Approved, confirm with your gram panchayat. A common cause is a delay in data sync between the portal and the posted list.
Lakshmir Bhandar Beneficiaries: Are You Automatically Enrolled?
Yes, most Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries are automatically migrated to Annapurna Bhandar without any new application. However, you will not be migrated if you were:
- Removed during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 of voter rolls
- Deleted in the second draft list after publication
- Deleted after adjudication
- Marked as ASDD (Absent, Shifted, Dead, or Duplicate) during voter slip distribution
Around 30 lakh of the 2.20 crore Lakshmir Bhandar enrollees were removed as ineligible, primarily those found to not meet citizenship requirements under the voter roll revision process. The remaining approximately 2 crore continue under Annapurna Bhandar. If you were a Lakshmir Bhandar recipient and have not received a payment after 3 June 2026, check your status on the portal or visit your gram panchayat immediately.
Ensuring Your Aadhaar Is Linked for Payment
Your bank account must be Aadhaar-seeded for DBT to reach you. If it is not seeded, the payment fails and shows as returned on the portal.
To link Aadhaar to your bank account:
Some banks support Aadhaar seeding through their ATM or mobile app. If already seeded and payments still do not arrive, visit your gram panchayat to confirm the bank details on your application are recorded correctly.
Common Reasons Annapurna Bhandar Applications Are Rejected
The most common rejection reasons are name mismatch between Aadhaar and bank, age outside the 25 to 60 range, being identified as a government employee or pensioner, or Aadhaar not linked to a bank account. Here is the full list with fixes:
If your application is rejected, the specific reason is usually stated on the portal or can be obtained from the gram panchayat. Appeal by visiting the Block Development Office (BDO) with supporting documents. There is no fee for reapplication.
Annapurna Bhandar vs Lakshmir Bhandar: Key Differences
The key difference is the monthly benefit amount: ₹3,000 under Annapurna Bhandar versus ₹500 to ₹1,000 under Lakshmir Bhandar. The eligible age range (25 to 60) and the DBT mechanism remain the same.
Annapurna Bhandar does not distinguish between general and SC/ST categories: all approved beneficiaries receive the same ₹3,000 per month.
Is This the Same as the Central Government's Annapurna Scheme?
No. Two very different programs share the same name, which causes confusion across search results.
West Bengal's Annapurna Bhandar is a cash transfer of ₹3,000 per month for women aged 25 to 60 under the Women and Child Welfare Department.
The Central Government's Annapurna Scheme provides 35 kg of food grain per month free of cost to destitute senior citizens above 65 years who are eligible for old age pension but not yet receiving it. It is a food security scheme for an entirely different group.
There is also a Rajasthan scheme called Annapurna Bhandar, which operated as subsidized food stores. That scheme has no connection to West Bengal's cash transfer.
What to Do with ₹3,000 per Month
Use the ₹3,000 for household expenses first: groceries, medicine, school fees, utilities. That is the scheme's primary purpose, and for most families that is exactly where it goes.
For longer-term planning, even setting aside ₹1,000 per month from the benefit into a mutual fund SIP can create a meaningful corpus over time. ₹1,000 per month over 10 years at an assumed 12% annual return grows to approximately ₹2.3 lakh. Use Fermor's SIP Calculator to model different amounts and time periods.
If you and your spouse plan to apply for a home loan jointly, the Annapurna Bhandar benefit counts as regular income, which can improve the loan amount you qualify for. Use the Home Loan Eligibility Calculator to see how your combined household income affects your eligible loan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Note: All scheme details are based on official information issued by the Women and Child Welfare Department, Government of West Bengal. Eligibility rules and application dates may change. Verify current information at wb.gov.in or your gram panchayat office before applying. This article is for informational purposes only.