West Bengal government to roll out Annapurna Bhandar, discontinue schemes based on religious categorisation

The West Bengal Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday (May 18, 2026) approved the rollout of the Annapurna Bhandar scheme, providing ₹3,000 per month to women aged 25 to 60 from June 1.

“Those enrolled in the previous Lakshmir Bhandar scheme will also receive benefits under the Annapurna Bhandar scheme. Electors whose names have been struck off the electoral rolls, but who have applied under the CAA or to Tribunals will be eligible for the scheme,” State’s Minister for Women and Child Development Agnimitra Paul said after the Cabinet meeting.

Doubling the cash incentives to women from ₹1,500 under Lakshmir Bhandar during the previous Trinamool Congress government to ₹3,000 was one of the promises made by the Bharatiya Janata Party during the campaign for 2026 Assembly polls.

The approval came in the second Cabinet meeting of the BJP Government, nine days after the Chief Minister and five other ministers took oath. Ms. Paul also announced that women will be entitled to free travel in State-run buses from June 1.

The BJP government also announced the setting up of a 7th pay Commission for State Government employees. No decision on the release of Dearness Allowance (DA) was taken, the Minister said. The implementation of 7th pay commission and release of DA arrears was also promised by the BJP during the election campaign.

Ms. Paul announced that the Cabinet approved religious monetary schemes based on religious categorisation will be discontinued from next month by the Information & Cultural Affairs, Madrasa and Minority Affairs department. This decision will in result in the stoppage of honorarium to imams and muezzins and purohits which was announced by the previous Trinamool Congress government, from next month.

The Cabinet also announced that the list of Other Backward Classes will be reviewed as per the judgement of Calcutta High Court order.