'Widow pension receivers entitled to Lakshmir Bhandar benefits also'

The scheme that is executed by the state Women and Child Development and Social Welfare has recently bagged the Skoch award

MP | 3 Nov 2022 | Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made it clear during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that women receiving the widow pension will also be entitled to the benefits of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. 

There were reports from certain quarters that women getting widow pensions were told that they are not entitled to benefits under Lakshmir Bhandar. Social security pensions of Rs 1,000 per month are provided to women in Bengal. In case of Lakshmir Bhandar, women in the age group of 25-60 years get Rs 1000 for the SC/ST and OBC while for the general caste, the amount is Rs 500 per month. 

The scheme that is executed by the state Women and Child Development and Social Welfare has recently bagged the Skoch award. More than 1.8 crore women in the state receive the benefits of this scheme. 

The Lakshmir Bhandar scheme is perhaps the biggest scheme for the direct transfer of money to women in the world which has contributed to financial independence among women. 

Over Rs 10570. 84 crore has been disbursed by the state government under the scheme from September 2021 till August 31, 2022. 

Lakshmir Bhandar was introduced in September 2021 just four months after the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came to power after a landslide victory in the Assembly elections. 

The applications were received through Duare Sarkar (Government at Doorstep) camps across the state. A special outreach camp was held in June-July for reaching out to the SC and ST category. 

The highest allocation under the scheme has been in North 24-Parganas with nearly 19 crore women receiving benefits with the total amount disbursed being over Rs 10.4 crore. Meanwhile, the Cabinet approved recruitment of 261 persons in various departments of the state government. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/widow-pension-receivers-entitled-to-lakshmir-bhandar-benefits-also-497891