In order to empower women in India, the Central, as well as state governments, have been launching many schemes and initiatives. The objective of such schemes is to provide financial support to women living in rural parts of the country.
Ahead of Assembly Elections, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had promised the women of the state a scheme that will benefit them. On Thursday (22 July 2021) she announced about the launch of the scheme.
After a cabinet meeting at Nabanna on Thursday, Mamata Banerjee said, “We had promised the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme ahead of the elections. The beneficiaries will start getting money under the scheme from September 1.”
The Chief Minister marked the formal start of one of the state’s direct benefit transfer schemes with this announcement.
Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme
Under the scheme, women between the age of 25 to 60 from general caste families will be given Rs. 500 per month & women from SC and ST families will be given Rs. 1000 per month. And working women in permanent positions and retirees getting pension would be excluded.
CM Mamata said, “We will launch the Duare Sarkar program from August 16 and it will continue till September 15. All eligible beneficiaries for Lakshmir Bhandar scheme can register their names under it through Duare Sarkar camps.”
The state government has primarily estimated 1.6 crore beneficiaries. Annually, a sum of Rs. 12,000 crore would be spent for the project.
The scheme will Boost the Rural Economy
As per the source, “the money will definitely boost the rural economy. Direct cash benefit transfer schemes always create more demand in rural areas, and especially in the current situation when income opportunities for a large segment of the rural population have clearly seen a downfall in the last one and a half years. The MGNREGS has already given a boost to the economy even in remote areas.”
Click here to know about another important scheme in West Bengal.
Doubts regarding the Scheme
Other officials raised doubts that whether the state government will manage the balance between development and welfare schemes, considering the state’s current situation & strained financial condition in the midst of the pandemic.
A bureaucrat said, “this scheme will require Rs. 12000 crore a year, which is almost equal to the annual budgets of the three large departments including PWD, PHE, and irrigation. I hope development projects don’t take a backseat because of this scheme.”
However, sources in Nabanna said they expect the state’s revenue generation to go up from August COVID curbs getting eased.
