Kolkata, June 13
Over 2.15 crore women received benefits under 'Lakshmir Bhandar', West Bengal government's dole scheme for the women in the state, till October 31, 2024, from the time it was introduced after the 2021 state Assembly elections, women and child development and social welfare minister, Dr Shashi Panja informed the Assembly on Friday.
"A total of 2,15,88,775 women benefited from payments under 'Lakshmir Bhandar' till 31, 2024. The total cost from the state exchequer on this count had been Rs 48,972 crore," the minister informed the House on a question from the Trinamool Congress legislator from West Bengal's Patharpratima Assembly constituency, Samir Jana.
The minister also said that those women receiving payments under the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme are automatically entitled to payments under the state's own 'old age allowance' after they complete the age of 60 and thus receive a similar amount.
"So far 6,04,837 women are enrolled under this 'old age allowance' scheme," the minister informed.
Trinamool Congress has often claimed that the West Bengal government had been a pioneer in the country in introducing such a dole scheme exclusively for women. In several public speeches, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed that many other state governments started similar dole schemes for women in their respective states following the example of West Bengal.
Any woman in the state, irrespective of financial background, can avail of the payments under the 'Lakshmi Bhandar' scheme. The monthly payment under this head currently is Rs 1,000 for women under the general category and Rs 1,200 for women under the reserved category.
However, the opposition parties in the state have often claimed that the payment under this scheme in West Bengal is much less than that under contemporary schemes in other states.
On Friday, Panja also informed the House that the number of Anganwadi Centres, local hubs in India that provide basic healthcare, nutrition, and early education to children under six years old and pregnant or lactating mothers, has almost tripled from what it was during the previous Left Front rule.
According to her, before 2011, the last year of the 34-year Left Front rule, the number of Anganwadi Centres in West Bengal was 18,586, which has now increased to 63,410.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is a great initiative by the West Bengal government! Empowering women financially is crucial for our society's progress. ₹1000-1200 may seem small but it makes a real difference in rural households. Hope other states learn from this model 🙌
While the scheme is good, ₹48,972 crore is a huge amount from state funds. I wonder if there's proper monitoring to prevent misuse? Also, shouldn't there be some income criteria rather than giving to all women irrespective of financial background?
As a Bengali woman, I've seen how this scheme has helped my mother and aunts in our village. The money helps with medicines and small expenses. The automatic transition to old age allowance is a thoughtful touch. More power to Didi's government! 💪
The tripling of Anganwadi centers is impressive data. But quality matters as much as quantity - are these centers properly staffed and equipped? The article mentions numbers but not the ground reality of service delivery.
My dida (grandmother) receives this benefit now that she's crossed 60. It's not much but gives her a sense of independence to buy her own medicines and sweets for her grandchildren. Small things matter in old age â¤ï¸
Good scheme but the amounts need revision considering inflation. ₹1000 in 2021 is worth much less today. Also, why no mention of how many women from minority communities are benefiting? Transparency in beneficiary data is important.
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