The West Bengal government on Monday moved to clear up confusion regarding the application process for the Annapurna Yojana, with state minister Agnimitra Paul stating that a single application form is sufficient for an entire family. This clarification came after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari mentioned on Sunday that only one member of any family can fill out the 12-page form.
Minister's Clarification on Annapurna Yojana Form Usage
Responding to a specific query, Paul said: “The Annapurna Yojana form has been designed in such a way that details of multiple eligible women from the same family can be included in a single application.” According to Paul, the form contains provisions for entering the details of several beneficiaries from the same household, making separate applications redundant.
“Mothers-in-law, daughters-in-law, daughters and sisters-in-law can all be accommodated in one form by providing their names, bank account details, Aadhaar numbers, PAN details, nature of employment of all family members, etc,” she added.
Single Form for Multiple Beneficiaries
“Every family will require only one form. There is no need for each woman to collect a separate form. A single application can accommodate multiple bank account details of eligible female members of the family,” Paul said. The minister also assured that the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure an adequate supply of application forms offline, and there would be no shortage for eligible beneficiaries.
The clarification comes amid reports of long queues at form distribution centres and a growing tendency among applicants to collect multiple forms. She urged people not to collect unnecessary additional forms, warning that such practices could create difficulties for other applicants.
This development aims to streamline the application process and reduce confusion among citizens. The government emphasizes that one form per family is sufficient, and beneficiaries should avoid hoarding forms to ensure fair distribution.
