Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari Tuesday said the state government will begin issuing forms for the Annapurna Yojana from May 27, under which women would receive Rs 3,000 per month, while the existing Lakshmir Bhandar scheme will continue until the new programme is fully rolled out.
Speaking after an administrative review meeting at Kalyani attended by officials from Nadia, Hooghly and North 24 Parganas districts, Adhikari said the process would formally begin Wednesday.
“Like we are continuing Swasthya Sathi till its conversion to Ayushman Bharat is complete, similarly, until the Annapurna Yojana is fully rolled out, Lakshmir Bhandar will continue. From tomorrow, the process for Annapurna Yojana begins,” he said.
Adhikari said forms for the scheme would be released from Nabanna and made available through both online and offline modes.
“I, along with Minister Agnimitra Paul, will be publishing a form for ‘Annapurna Yojana’ from Nabanna tomorrow in the presence of the chief secretary and home secretary. Detailed guidelines will also be announced,” he said.
He said beneficiaries would start receiving payments soon after enrolment and verification.
“As and when forms are filled up, Rs 3,000 will start getting credited into beneficiaries’ accounts. The faster people complete registration, the faster they will receive benefits,” Adhikari said.
The chief minister said MLAs and district officials would assist women in completing the application process.
“People will not be left entirely on their own. MLAs will help beneficiaries fill out forms, while teams under BDOs will go door-to-door to assist applicants,” he said.
Adhikari also asserted that only Indian citizens would be eligible for the scheme.
“Keep in mind that only Indians will get this opportunity. India’s money is not meant for infiltrators coming from Bangladesh. This has been very crystal clear now,” he said.
The chief minister also announced a restructuring of the state’s AYUSH department, saying it would be separated from the health department and placed under an independent administrative setup.
“We have decided in principle. I will place this in the cabinet for approval. We are separating the AYUSH department from the health department and appointing an efficient and competent official for the department,” he said.
Adhikari said the Kalyani meeting focused on three priorities, like improving administrative coordination, strengthening the health sector and expediting pre-monsoon preparedness work.
He also announced a series of programmes to be held in June to mark 12 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in office.
“From June 5 to June 21, multiple programmes will be organised across the state. On June 5, trees will be planted in the name of mothers in all municipal areas,” he said, referring to the Centre’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.
The chief minister further said public welfare camps would be organised across the state June 15, 16 and 17.
“All BDOs, COs and commissioners will conduct these camps in the presence of MLAs and MPs so that the benefits of both central and state government schemes can reach people directly,” he said.
Adhikari added that International Yoga Day would be observed on a large scale across West Bengal June 21.
Talking about free bus rides for all women in the state, Adhikari said the state government would soon introduce a card system to keep a check on the misuse of the facility.
“At the moment, all women will get free rides from next week. But, later we will introduce a card system,” Adhikari said, alleging that during the erstwhile regime of the Trinmool Congress government, there were instances where men from Domkal in Murshidabad district got the benefits of ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’.
“If someone wearing a burka boards a NBSTC bus from Siliguri to Digha, the driver or the conductor has no mechanism to check whether that person is a woman or a man. At the moment, every woman will be eligible for free bus rides, but later we will introduce a card system,” the CM said.
The CM also said his government has decided to introduce fish and rice meals at around 400 dedicated “Maa” canteens twice a week at a subsidised rate of Rs 5.
“We have approximately 400 Maa canteens in the state. We have decided to feed people fish-and-rice meal twice a week for Rs five,” he said.
The chief minister also announced that the state’s grievance redressal platform ‘Mukhymantri ke Bolun’ (Tell the Chief Minister) would be renamed.
“From next week, ‘Mukhymantri ke Bolun’ will be discontinued and renamed ‘Apnar Sarkar ke Bolun’ (Tell the Government). We had sought suggestions from Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya for the new name, and he proposed it. As Chief Minister, I have accepted the name. The old phone number will also be changed, and detailed information will be shared the day it is announced,” he said.
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