Lakshmir Bhandar: ‘Over 2.15 cr applications approved so far’

Kolkata: State Women and Child Development and Social Welfare minister Shashi Panja on Friday stressed the need to open a zero-balance single bank account only in the name of the beneficiaries so that they can avail of the benefits of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme without any hiccups. According to data available with the department, around 2,15,88,775 applications have been approved so far while 11,16,798 applications were rejected due to faulty applications. Around 2,60,499 applications are still under process. The minister also reminded that many applications were cancelled due to faulty application procedures. The minister said that many applications have been cancelled as the beneficiaries seeking to avail of services are below the age of 25 and above 60. Women below 25 are not entitled to avail of the services while women above 60 will be incorporated to old age pension. Earlier when the scheme was started the beneficiaries were able to avail the services if they had a joint account with their husbands.

As the department has faced difficulties, now it has been decided that the beneficiaries will have to open a zero-balance single account on their names and no joint account with husband will work any more. Incidentally, according to the latest National Family Health Survey, Bengal is among the top three states where women have bank accounts, the minister had claimed earlier this year. There are many glaring examples to illustrate the emphasis that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee assigns to women’s empowerment and their welfare, added Panja. “Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme was launched in August 2021. Experts had advocated for UBI (Universal Basic Income) for women in the country but the union government did not do anything. Bengal became the first in the country in this respect after the launch of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. Women are homemakers and we are recognizing their contribution through this scheme,” Panja had claimed earlier.