The West Bengal government is transferring the fourth instalment of the Annapurna scheme to women beneficiaries, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying no eligible woman should be left out of the programme. The announcement was made during an Annapurna Day event near Kolkata’s Salt Lake, which the Prime Minister addressed through video conference, according to a report by Sanmarg – Kolkata.
Under the scheme, eligible women receive a fixed monthly payment of ₹3,000 directly into their bank accounts. Prime Minister Modi said the direct bank transfer mechanism had removed the role of intermediaries and reduced the scope for what he described as “cut money”. He also said the assistance was intended to strengthen women’s confidence and decision-making capacity.
The Prime Minister said the fourth instalment was reaching the bank accounts of around 1.5 crore women. He described the financial support as an important source of stability for beneficiaries and said women in West Bengal should have both the authority to make decisions and the confidence to move forward.
The report said Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari announced that 17 September would be observed every year as Annapurna Day. He described the scheme as a commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said it had been implemented for a large section of women in the state.
According to the state government’s account cited in the report, 1.58 crore beneficiaries were included for the September instalment. Most had already received the money in their bank accounts, while the remaining transfers were expected to be completed by Thursday evening. The report did not provide a district-wise breakdown of beneficiaries or explain the criteria used to determine eligibility.
The programme’s delivery mechanism places bank-account access and timely transfers at the centre of implementation. While direct benefit transfers can reduce intermediary involvement, the supplied report does not provide details on failed transactions, inactive accounts, grievance redressal or how excluded applicants can appeal. Those details will determine how effectively the stated objective of reaching every eligible woman is achieved.
The event also included an announcement related to housing. Shubhendu Adhikari said a list of 50 lakh beneficiaries was being prepared under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in West Bengal. The report did not specify whether the list covered rural or urban housing, the stage of verification, the expected construction timeline or the funding division between the state and central governments.
The Prime Minister’s address and the state government’s announcements link household income support with women’s empowerment and housing access. For beneficiaries, the immediate next step is the completion of the September transfers, while the housing announcement will require further disclosure on eligibility, verification and implementation. The state also said action would be taken under law against those involved in arranging marriages of girls below 18 years of age.
