A special investigation team from the West Bengal Police will look into cases where illegal beneficiaries, including males, were receiving payments under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, a monthly allowance initiative for women introduced by the previous Trinamool Congress government. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari revealed that around 30 lakh unauthorized beneficiaries, including men, were found to be availing benefits from the scheme. He highlighted instances where funds were credited to multiple fake accounts held by the same individuals under different names.
The Chief Minister instructed the state’s director general of police to launch a probe by forming a special investigation team to address the issue. He emphasized the need to eliminate these illegal beneficiaries from the system and ensure that only genuine Indian women beneficiaries receive the enhanced monthly payment of Rs 3,000 under the Annapurna Yojana, which has replaced the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. Initially, the government had announced automatic enrollment of Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries into the new scheme, but later, a 12-page form was mandated for enrollment due to the discovery of numerous illegal beneficiaries.
In response to concerns about the complexity of filling out the 12-page form, the Chief Minister announced that government personnel would assist beneficiaries in completing the necessary paperwork at their homes.
