Annapurna Yojana: ₹3,000 Monthly Assistance for Women in West Bengal

Exam-focused facts from the 12 May 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

The West Bengal government approved the rollout of the Annapurna Yojana to provide monthly financial assistance of ₹3,000 to women in the state.
The scheme increases the financial aid compared to the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, where beneficiaries currently receive ₹1,500 per month and Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) women receive ₹1,700.
Launched in February 2021, the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme provides monthly aid of ₹1,200 for SC/ST beneficiaries and ₹1,000 for others among women aged 25 to 60 years enrolled under the Swasthya Sathi programme.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has pledged 33 per cent reservation for women in all government jobs, including the police force.
The BJP has promised free travel in public transport vehicles for women in West Bengal.