West Bengal's Agnimitra Paul defends the detailed Annapurna Yojana application, emphasising the need to verify citizenship for welfare benefits amid criticism over extensive documentation.
Key Points
- West Bengal minister defends the detailed application form for the Annapurna Yojana.
- The Annapurna Yojana aims to provide direct cash transfer to eligible women in West Bengal.
- The minister asserts the need for detailed information to ensure benefits reach only Indian citizens.
- The BJP government plans to provide Rs 3,000 per month to eligible women under the scheme.
- Stringent waste-related penalties will be introduced across West Bengal from September 1.
West Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul defended the detailed 12-page application form for the newly announced 'Annapurna Yojana', a direct cash transfer scheme for women, saying the state government wants to ensure that the benefits of welfare programmes reach only Indian citizens.
Criticism of the Annapurna Yojana Application
The lengthy form, which requires women beneficiaries to provide detailed information about every family member, has drawn criticism from several quarters, with some alleging that excessive documentation could exclude genuine beneficiaries.
Reacting to the criticism, Paul hit out at the Trinamool Congress, saying the BJP government would not allow non-citizens to avail benefits under state-run welfare schemes.
Minister's Response to Concerns
"Does the TMC think the BJP government will give benefits to Rohingyas and Bangladeshis who are standing in long queues near the Bangladesh border? We do not want to extend the Annapurna Yojana or any other government scheme to people who are not Indian citizens. This is our money, your money, the public's money. Naturally, we need complete information," Paul told reporters on Thursday.
The minister of women and child development and social welfare further said the BJP did not need "lessons" from the TMC, accusing the party of misleading the people of Bengal for the last 15 years.
Details of the Annapurna Bhandar Scheme
Under the 'Annapurna Bhandar' scheme, the BJP government will provide Rs 3,000 per month to each eligible woman in the state.
The BJP had promised in its election manifesto to introduce the 'Annapurna Bhandar', replacing the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government's 'Lakshmir Bhandar'.
Under the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme, women in the general category used to get Rs 1,500 per month, and Rs 1,700 for the SC/ST category.
New Waste-Related Penalties
The minister also announced that the state government would introduce stringent waste-related penalties across the state from September 1 in an effort to improve urban cleanliness.
