Bengal Government Announces Hike in Benefits for Women and Employees

Bengal Minister of State (Finance) Chandrima Bhattacharya announced an increase of Rs 500 per month for beneficiaries of the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme during her ‘Vote on Account’ speech on Thursday. Bhattacharya also declared a 4 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) hike for state government employees. After this announcement, the DA gap between Union and state government employees would come down to 36 per cent. People aged between 21 and 40 years, and having cleared the Madhyamik (Class 10 Board) examination, will get Rs 1,500 per month till getting employment or for five years, whichever is earlier, under the ‘Banglar Yuba Sathi’ scheme, announced Bhattacharya. She also increased a hike in the wages of Asha and Anganwadi workers by Rs 1,000 per month. Anganwadi workers in the state will now get Rs 5,500 every month. According to government sources, the state has spent Rs 74,000 crore in the first 50 months since the launch of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. Till now, 2,20,25,342 women have benefited under Lakshmir Bhandar, including 29,45,972 Scheduled Caste (SC) women and 4,78,427 women from Scheduled Tribe (ST) groups. The sources added that after the Rs 500 per month increase for beneficiaries, the total expenditure under the scheme will cross Rs 1 lakh crore in this financial year. Before the 2021 Assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee promised to give Rs 500 per month to every woman. After forming the government for the third time, she started Lakshmir Bhandar in September 2021. Initially, the state government was paying Rs 1,000 to SC and ST women, and Rs 500 to others. Before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the amount for SC and ST women was increased to Rs 1,200. Whereas, for other Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries, the amount was hiked to Rs 1,000. After a further increase of Rs 500 per month, SC and ST women will now get Rs 1,700, and others will receive Rs 1,500 every month. The Bengal Assembly elections are likely to be held in the next couple of months after the completion of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.