Kolkata: Rural outreach of Trinamool Congress (TMC) government through various social schemes and women centric assistances under ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’, ‘Kanyashree’, ‘Rupashree’ which have already brought a social economic change to the lives of the financially vulnerable sections including SC, STs, OBCs besides general categories, may undoubtedly give a strategic edge to the ruling party in the upcoming Assembly polls yet again.
After coming to power, the Mamata Banerjee government has introduced women-focused assistance, which has given many dividends to the ruling party in the past few elections in Bengal.
Economic issues and youth unemployment still remain a pertinent issue in the poll-bound Bengal, and schemes like ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’, ‘Kanyashree’ have also proved to be a prime electoral engine for the ruling Trinamool Congress.
As many as 85.6 per cent of women surveyed as part of a pan-Bengal study earlier felt that the cash incentive from the Bengal government’s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme had empowered them. The money in hand had encouraged and enabled them to get more involved in domestic decision-making.
The scheme, which provides direct monthly financial assistance to women, was seen as a “game-changer” that helped Mamata Banerjee overcome anti-incumbency in 2021. The Mamata Banerjee government announced a hike of Rs 500 in Lakshmir Bhandar on February 5 when the state tabled its vote-on-account in the Assembly. With the announcement of this hike, the women from the general category were getting Rs 1500 per month, while women from the scheduled tribes and scheduled caste categories were getting Rs 1700 a month. The state has also allocated an additional Rs 15,000 crore for this scheme over the Rs 17,000 crore spent in FY26.
According to the trends in the past few elections, the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme undoubtedly helped Trinamool Congress secure a formidable lead/win. Gender wise trends showed stronger Trinamool backing among women. Kanyashree and Rupashree also extend help in many ways.