Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme

"Lakshmir Bhandar" Scheme is a flagship program launched by the West Bengal Government in February 2021, to provide financial assistance to women from economically weaker sections of society. For the empowerment of women in the age group of 25-60 years and enrolled in ‘Swasthya Sathi’, ₹ 1,200/- every month to women SC/ST households and ₹ 1,000/- per month to other beneficiaries are provided. The scheme aims to empower women and make them financially independent by providing them with a one-time grant to buy essential goods and services.

• For women from Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribes households: ₹ 1,200/- per month
• For women from other category: ₹ 1,000/- per month.

1. The applicant should be a resident of West Bengal.
2. The applicant should be a woman.
3. The age of the applicant should be between 25 - 60 years.
4. The household of the applicant should be enrolled under the "Swasthyasathi" scheme.
5. The applicant should not be a government employee in permanent employment/ retired government employee of Central/ State Government, Statutory Bodies, Government Undertakings, Panchayats, Municipal Corporations/ Municipalities, Local Bodies, teaching and non-teaching employees of Government aided Educational Institutions, etc. receiving regular salary/ pension.

Offline

Step 1: The scheme’s application form will be available free of cost at the Duare Sarkar Camps. The applicant will submit the filled-in, duly signed application form at one of the Duare Sarkar Camps, along with the self-attested copies of the required documents.

Step 2: The applications so received at the Duare Sarkar camp will be duly enquired into as per Duare Sarkar modalities by government officials only authorized for the purpose. After verification/inquiry, the Block Development Officer in the rural area or the Sub-Divisional Officer in the urban area, as the case may be, shall enter the applications on the portal, verify and recommend the list of eligible applicants to the District Magistrate for sanction.

(In case of the areas falling within the jurisdiction of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, the same process will be completed by the Commissioner, Kolkata Municipal Corporation.)

Step 3: The Commissioner of Kolkata Municipal Corporation shall be the sanctioning authority for applicants residing in areas under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. In all other cases, the District Magistrate will be the sanctioning authority.

Step 4: The financial assistance sanctioned under the scheme will be credited monthly through DBT (Direct Bank Transfer) to the Aadhaar-linked bank account held solely by the eligible adult female member/s of the household.

[Note: A yearly verification of the life status of the beneficiary of the scheme will be done once a year, through the Registrar of Birth and Death through the online system.]