New Lakshmir Bhandar Rules? Everything You Need to Know; What is Nabanna Saying?

The West Bengal government's most popular scheme, 'Lakshmir Bhandar,' is at a new turning point. In the 2026 interim budget, CM Mamata Banerjee not only increased the allowance but also simplified the application rules.

In February 2026, the state government announced that women from the General/OBC category will now get Rs 1,500 per month, and women from the SC/ST category will get Rs 1,700 per month.

The allowance for 'Lakshmir Bhandar,' a popular social security scheme, has been hiked by Rs 500. Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya made this announcement in the 2026 state budget, effective from February this year.

After the budget, the payment structure of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme has changed. General/OBC women will now get Rs 1,500 instead of Rs 1,000 monthly. SC/ST women will now receive Rs 1,700 instead of Rs 1,200.

Political observers see this decision by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as a 'masterstroke,' which will directly benefit crores of women in the state.

Strict guidelines on documents and bank accounts have been issued. A single bank account is now mandatory. Payments will not be made to joint accounts. Also, linking Aadhaar and a mobile number to the bank account is now required.

Application rules have been relaxed. A 'Swasthya Sathi' card is no longer mandatory; only an Aadhaar card is needed. Applicants must be women aged 25-60, permanent residents of West Bengal, and not government employees or pensioners.

A survey by Nobel laureate Amartya Sen's 'Pratichi Trust' found that 85.6% of women feel empowered by this scheme. About 61.1% said the money has increased their role in family decisions and provided financial security.

Over 1.41 crore women benefit from this scheme. New applicants can get free forms from 'Duare Sarkar' camps or BDO offices. Money will be credited within 30-60 days of submitting correct documents.