Bengal among top 3 states where women have bank accounts

MP, 15 February 2024, Kolkata: According to the latest National Family Health Survey, Bengal is among the top three states where women have bank accounts, said state Women and Child Development and Social Welfare minister Shashi Panja during the Budget speech of her department in the state Assembly on Thursday. 

“There are many glaring examples to illustrate the emphasis that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assigns to women empowerment and their welfare. The percentage of women holding bank accounts in Bengal and Bihar stand at 77 per cent, just behind Tamil Nadu’s 92 per cent. 

The department has got the third largest allocation of Rs 26590 crore which is 7.26 per cent of the state Budget. The total allocation of the Centre for this department in fiscal 2024-25 is Rs 26000 crore which is 0.55 per cent of the total Union Budget allocation. This proves who prioritises women’s development,” Panja said. 

Speaking on the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme that was launched in August 2021, Panja said that beneficiary coverage currently stands at 1.9 crore with the scheme’s expenditure being Rs 10101.87 crores.

“Experts had advocated for UBI (Universal Basic Income) for women in the country but the union government did not do anything. Bengal became the first in the country in this respect after the launch of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. Women are homemakers and we are recognizing their contribution through this scheme,” Panja added. 

She claimed that a recent survey by ‘Pratichi’ has declared that Lakshmir Bhandar is not only an economic multiplier but also a social multiplier.