Annapurna Bhandar Scheme 2026: Monthly Benefit & Status Check

Annapurna Bhandar Scheme 2026: Eligibility, Application, and Status Check Guide

West Bengal has a new flagship women's welfare scheme. Annapurna Bhandar replaces the earlier Lakshmi Bhandar programme with a flat ₹3,000 paid directly into eligible women's bank accounts every month. Here's what the scheme actually covers, who qualifies, how existing beneficiaries get migrated, and how to check your application status online.

What Is the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme

Annapurna Bhandar (also called Annapurna Yojana) is a women's welfare scheme launched by the Government of West Bengal, formally notified on 19 May 2026 and rolled out from 1 June 2026, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari launching it at Nabanna on 3 June 2026. The scheme followed the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, in which the BJP formed the state government; the scheme itself was announced as part of the party's election manifesto and replaces the Lakshmi Bhandar programme that the previous Trinamool Congress government had run.

Under Lakshmi Bhandar, monthly payments varied by category, generally somewhere in the ₹1,000 to ₹1,700 range depending on the source and time period. Annapurna Bhandar removes that category-based distinction entirely: every eligible woman now receives a flat ₹3,000 per month, or ₹36,000 a year, paid through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into an Aadhaar-linked bank account.

The government began releasing payments in phases. The first instalment went out on 3 June 2026 to roughly 28.25 lakh beneficiaries, and a second, larger round followed on 1 July 2026 covering close to 1.3 crore women. Around 2.2 crore women were enrolled under Lakshmi Bhandar; after a verification exercise, the government expects roughly 2 crore of them to carry over to Annapurna Bhandar.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for Annapurna Bhandar, an applicant must meet all of the following:

• Be a woman and a permanent resident of West Bengal
• Be between 25 and 60 years of age
• Not be a permanent or retired government employee
• Not receive a regular salary or pension from the state or central government, panchayats, statutory or local bodies, or municipalities
• Not be employed in a teaching or non-teaching role at any government-aided educational institution in West Bengal
• Not be a filer of income tax returns
• Hold an active, single-holder bank account linked to Aadhaar (joint accounts are not accepted, since they tend to cause DBT transfer failures)

What Happens to Existing Lakshmi Bhandar Beneficiaries

If you were already receiving Lakshmi Bhandar payments, you generally don't need to submit a fresh application. Existing records are being automatically migrated to Annapurna Bhandar, subject to a verification check on your Aadhaar-linked bank account.

That migration isn't unconditional, though. A few categories of previously enrolled women are being excluded from automatic migration and would need to reapply or resolve their status:

• Beneficiaries confirmed deceased, or who have shifted, or were marked as absentee electors during the 2026 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls
• Names removed in the second draft electoral list published after the SIR process
• Cases involving citizenship status, including some non-citizens previously enrolled

One notable exception works the other way: women with pending Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) applications, or appeals before the SIR Tribunal, are expected to keep receiving payments uninterrupted until their case is resolved, rather than being cut off during the review.

How to Apply Online

New applicants, or existing beneficiaries whose migration didn't go through automatically, can apply through the state's dedicated registration portal:

1. Visit the official registration portal (the current portal address is socialregistry.wb.gov.in; always confirm you're on a .gov.in domain before entering any personal or banking details).
2. Select your district and complete mobile number verification via OTP.
3. Complete the Family Level Data Collection form, which covers your personal identity details, ration card information, and household data.
4. Enter your bank account details carefully: account number and IFSC code, matching your passbook exactly.
5. Upload scanned copies of the required documents.
6. Review the declaration, submit, and save the Application Reference Number that appears on screen. You'll need this for tracking later.

How to Apply Offline (Duare Sarkar Camps)

For women without easy digital access, the state continues to run its "Duare Sarkar" (Government at Your Doorstep) outreach camps alongside Block Development Offices (BDO) and municipal offices:

1. Collect a physical application form from your local BDO, SDO, municipal office, or download it from the official portal.
2. Fill it in and attach supporting documents (Voter ID, bank passbook copy, photographs).
3. Submit it at a scheduled Duare Sarkar camp or directly at the block/municipal office.
4. Collect a signed receipt with a tracking ID; a field officer will verify your documents and upload your details to the digital system so you can track your status online afterward.

How to Check Your Annapurna Bhandar Status Online

Status tracking runs on a separate portal from registration:

1. Visit socialsecurity.wb.gov.in, the portal used for payment status and application tracking.
2. Look for "Track Applicant Status" or "Track Application."
3. Enter your Application Reference Number, registered mobile number, Aadhaar number, or Swasthya Sathi card number, whichever you have on hand.
4. Enter the captcha shown, then click Search.

Understanding Your Status Messages

• Pending Verification: Your documents are still being reviewed by local officials, such as the BDO or Sub-Divisional Officer. No action is needed while this is in progress.
• Approved: Your application cleared verification and has been added to the disbursement list. Payments should begin from the next payment cycle.
• Payment Initiated: Your monthly amount has been cleared for transfer and is moving through the banking network via DBT.
• Rejected/Error: Something in your application didn't clear, commonly a mismatched name, missing document, or an invalid or non-Aadhaar-linked bank account. The portal usually shows a brief reason alongside this status.

Fixing DBT Payment Failures

If your status shows "Approved" but the ₹3,000 hasn't arrived, the most common cause is a broken link between your Aadhaar and your bank account in the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) mapping system, not an issue with your application itself.

• Check your Aadhaar-bank mapping through the NPCI's Aadhaar Mapper tool, available at npci.org.in, to see which account is currently linked to your Aadhaar for government benefit transfers.
• If the mapping shows an inactive or wrong account, visit your bank branch to complete e-KYC and request fresh Aadhaar seeding onto the correct, active, single-holder account.
• This typically takes a couple of working days to reflect before your next DBT cycle.

Documents Required for annapurna bhandar scheme apply

Based on current guidance, applicants should keep the following ready, though the complete official document list can vary by case and it's worth confirming exact requirements at your local BDO office or the portal before applying:

• Aadhaar card, linked to your current mobile number for OTP verification
• Voter ID (EPIC card), used to confirm residency within your assembly constituency
• Bank passbook, showing your name, account number, and IFSC code exactly as they should appear in official records
• Ration card, to help verify household details
• Recent passport-size photographs

A Word on Safety

This registration and status-tracking process is completely free.

• Only enter personal, Aadhaar, or banking details on official .gov.in domains, never on look-alike or unofficial sites.
• No one legitimately involved in this scheme will ask you to pay a fee to "speed up" your application. Treat any such request as a scam.
• Government officials will not call asking for your OTP, bank PIN, or password. Never share these with anyone over the phone.

Getting Help

If your status shows a delay or an unexplained payment issue, the state's welfare helpline can look up your file faster if you have your Aadhaar number, application ID, or registered mobile number ready before you call. Toll-free helpline numbers for this scheme have been reported in the 1800-345-55xx range across official guidance; confirm the current number listed on socialsecurity.wb.gov.in before calling, since helpline numbers for state schemes are occasionally updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money does the Annapurna Bhandar scheme provide?

₹3,000 per month, or ₹36,000 a year, transferred directly via DBT to an Aadhaar-linked bank account, with no difference by category.

Do existing Lakshmi Bhandar beneficiaries need to apply again?

Generally no. Most existing beneficiaries are migrated automatically, subject to Aadhaar-linked bank account verification. Those flagged during the 2026 electoral roll revision, or otherwise found ineligible, would need to resolve their status or reapply.

Can I use a joint bank account for this scheme?

No. The scheme requires an active, single-holder account, since joint accounts frequently cause DBT transfer failures.

What is the difference between socialregistry.wb.gov.in and socialsecurity.wb.gov.in?

socialregistry.wb.gov.in is generally used for new registrations and family data collection, while socialsecurity.wb.gov.in is used for checking application and payment status. Both are official West Bengal government domains.

My status shows "Approved" but I haven't received any money. What should I do?

This is usually an Aadhaar-bank seeding issue rather than an application problem. Check your linkage through the NPCI Aadhaar Mapper tool, and if it's inactive or incorrect, visit your bank branch to update your KYC and re-seed your Aadhaar to an active account.

Is Annapurna Bhandar the same as the central government's Annapurna Scheme?

No. The central Annapurna Scheme, run under the National Social Assistance Programme, gives free food grains to destitute senior citizens above 65. West Bengal's Annapurna Bhandar is a separate, state-run cash transfer scheme for women aged 25 to 60.

Conclusion

Annapurna Bhandar represents a significant increase over what Lakshmi Bhandar previously paid, and the rollout has been moving in phases since June 2026. If you're an existing beneficiary, the priority is making sure your Aadhaar-linked bank account is active and correctly seeded. If you're a new applicant, apply through the official portal or a Duare Sarkar camp well before any registration deadline, and keep your acknowledgement or Application Reference Number safe for tracking.