The database verification exercise for Annapurna Yojana, conducted by government officials including Block Level Officers (BLOs), concluded on Monday, six days before the rollout of the social scheme in West Bengal.
Eligibility and Benefits
From June 1, all women beneficiaries of the earlier Lakshmir Bhandar scheme will be eligible for a monthly assistance of Rs 3,000 under Annapurna Yojana. However, those whose names were struck off the electoral roll after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise or marked as 'absent, shifted, dead, or duplicate' will not be eligible.
Verification Process
"BLOs verified the Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries' names and cross-checked if any among them was marked on the ASD list or struck off the roll," a government official said. Beneficiaries who have filed appeals in the SIR tribunal or submitted CAA applications will continue to receive the money until their applications are rejected.
BLOs had approximately four days to complete the verification. A Maniktala BLO stated, "We were given Kolkata Municipal Corporation ward-wise lists for the verification."
Impact on Beneficiaries
In February, 2 crore 42 lakh women received Lakshmir Bhandar aid. However, the number of Annapurna Yojana beneficiaries is likely to be lower, given the deletion of over 40 lakh names after the SIR exercise.
