Women whose names were deleted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal will not be eligible for benefits under the state’s new Annapurna Bhandar scheme. The scheme, which is set to replace the previous Lakshmi Bhandar programme, will provide a monthly cash handout of Rs 3,000 to eligible women starting 1 June 2026. The earlier Lakshmi Bhandar scheme provided Rs 1,500 per month.According to Scroll, Minister Agnimitra Paul stated that only women whose names appear on the updated list after the SIR will receive the Annapurna Bhandar benefit. She clarified that an analysis would be conducted to determine eligibility, and those whose names were removed during the SIR and previously received Lakshmi Bhandar benefits would largely be excluded from the new scheme.Paul further explained that the review process would consider several factors, including whether the individual is deceased or not an Indian citizen, before finalising the beneficiary list as coverage revealed. She emphasised that appeals pending before appellate tribunals regarding exclusion from the voter list would result in those individuals being kept aside from receiving benefits until a decision is made.After the first Cabinet meeting of the new BJP government, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that no existing welfare scheme would be discontinued, but non-existent, fake, or non-Indian beneficiaries would not receive benefits as analysis showed. The Cabinet also approved the implementation of several Union government schemes, including the Ayushman Bharat health coverage programme, in West Bengal.“Those women whose names are on the list will receive it. Before that, there will be an analysis. Those names that have been removed during SIR and used to receive Lakshmi Bhandar benefits, many of them will not get it now,” Agnimitra Paul was quoted as saying.The Assembly elections in West Bengal were preceded by the SIR conducted by the Election Commission, which resulted in the removal of approximately 91 lakh voters, accounting for nearly 11.9% of the electorate before the process began as reporting indicated. Many cases challenging these deletions remain pending before appellate tribunals, though the exact number is not specified.Paul, who serves as the Minister for Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, reiterated that the government’s approach is to ensure that only eligible and verified beneficiaries receive welfare support at the end of the review. She maintained that the exclusion criteria are based on the updated electoral rolls and ongoing verification processes.Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.