West Bengal Annapurna Yojana 2026: Eligibility, Benefits, Online Portal, and How to Apply

Annapurna Bhandar Scheme: The Government of West Bengal has officially announced the effective launch of the Annapurna Yojana also known as the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme for the socio-economic upliftment of the women of West Bengal.  The new government is fulfilling a major electoral promise and the scheme will replace the state's previous Lakshmir Bhandar Yojana.

Under the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme the state government will monthly financial aid ₹3,000 to all eligible women beneficiaries within the state. The key aim of the scheme is to enhance the socio-economic status and financial independence of women across West Bengal.

The First Amount Of Annapurna Yojana Released Today

The West Bengal government’s Annapurna Yojana has released the September ₹3,000 installment. These installments have been credited into the accounts of all the eligible women through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

The scheme is specifically made to support women who are in the eligible age criteria of 25–60. These women should belong to economically weaker sections. Any women who is already a government employee, pensioner and a taxpayer do not come under the eligibility criteria.

These payments are credited directly to bank accounts linked to Aadhaar cards, this ensures financial assistance reaches beneficiaries efficiently. This latest installment release stands in what it promised as the objective. The objective of the Annapurna Yojana is to provide monthly support to improve household income and financial stability.

Beneficiaries are advised to check their payment status online through the official portal.

Objectives of Annapurna Yojana

The key objectives are clearly highlighted by the The Department of Women & Child Development and Social Welfare of West Bengal laid down clear socio-economic benchmarks behind the rollout of this Scheme:

To promote Women's Financial Autonomy by placing disposable income directly into the hands of women, reduce their dependency on male family members for basic individual needs.

A regular, predictable income flow of ₹36,000 annually is projected to elevate the purchasing power and standard of living for economically weaker households enabling women to prioritize nutrition, primary healthcare, and  medicinal expenses for themselves and their children.

Benefits of the Scheme

• Financial Aid: A fixed monthly amount of ₹3,000 will be credited to each registered femal. 

• Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT): The cash support goes directly to the beneficiary's Aadhaar-linked bank account. 

• Seamless Migration: Existing beneficiaries of the Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme will be automatically integrated into the new system to ensure there is no gap in their monthly assistance.

Eligibility Criteria

To get benifits of  Annapurna Yojana, applicants need to fulfill the following eligibilitry criteria 

• Gender and Domicile: The applicant must be a permanent  female resident/Indian citizen of West Bengal.

• Age Limit: Applicants aged between 25 and 60 years are eligible.

• Employment Status: The applicant must not be a permanent government employee or receive a regular salary/pension from the Central/State government, statutory bodies, panchayats, municipalities, or government-aided educational institutions.

• Tax Status: The applicant must not be an income tax payer or households that pay Income Tax

Note: the existing Lakshmir Bhandar bhandar beneficiaries will be auto-migrated to the Annapurna Yojana. However, individuals who are deceased, shifted, or deleted during the SIR-2026 database cleaning process will be excluded from automatic migration.

Required Documents 

Fresh applicants should keep the following self-attested documents ready before applying online or offline:

1. Aadhaar Card (Mandatory and it Must be linked/seeded with your bank account)

2. Voter ID Card (EPIC)

3. Digital Ration Card (AAY / PHH / SPHH / RKSY)

4. Bank Account Passbook (Showing clearly visible Beneficiary Name, Account Number and IFSC Code)

5. Income Certificate / PAN Card (if applicable)

6. Caste Certificate (For SC/ST/OBC applicants to log social categories with proper documentation)

7. Recent Passport-size Photographs

How to Apply Online for Annapurna Yojana

The government has facilitiated the specialized online application and tracking portal which will become fully functional for new registrations from June 1, 2026.

Step 1: Head over to the official West Bengal Social Security portal:socialsecurity.wb.gov.in.

Step 2: Click on the Apply Online or New Registration link. 

Step 3: Enter your active mobile number and verify it using the OTP sent to your phone.
Step 4: Carefully fill out the full application by filling the required data such as the Head of Family (HOF) details, bank info, and household property declarations.

Step 5: Upload clear scanned copies of your Aadhaar Card, Voter ID, and Bank Passbook.

Step 6: Preview your details, click Submit, and note down the Application Reference ID for future tracking.

How to Apply Offline

You are facing an issue on online application or living in rural areas you can apply though physical forms were released on May 27, 2026. 

You can collect the form from local BDO offices (rural areas), SDO/Municipality offices (urban areas), or designated government welfare camps. Where you can fill in the form English, Hindi, or Bengali languages and attach the self-attested required document copies, and submit it directly to the counter to receive an acknowledgment slip.

How to Check Status Online

You can check your online status online once the online portal is activated from the phase on June 1, 2026, applicants can check their application status by visiting the official website, clicking on "Track Application Status", and entering their registered Application ID or Aadhaar number.

All fresh submissions will undergo physical verification to adhere to robust public administration frameworks by local government personnel, BDOs (rural), and SDOs (urban) will conduct the preliminary ground checks. The verified reports are directly uploaded to the official portal. The respective District Magistrates (DMs) and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Commissioner serve as the final sanctioning authorities.