West Bengal women protest outside BJP leaders' homes over Annapurna Bhandar payment delays
Protests over the denial and delay of benefits under West Bengal's Annapurna Bhandar scheme have reached the doorsteps of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and ministers, with women demonstrators demanding immediate action.
On Friday, State Minister Agnimitra Paul was confronted by angry women while attending an administrative meeting at the district magistrate's office in Midnapore. The protesters, who complained about delayed Annapurna Yojana payments, forced the minister to step out and listen to their grievances. Earlier this week, protesters also gathered outside the residence of Minister of Women and Child Development Malati Rava Roy in Cooch Behar district.
The demonstrations have spread across several districts. In Birati, North 24-Parganas, protesters blocked railway tracks, while women in Falakata, Alipurduar, blocked National Highway-31. Middle-aged women have also held demonstrations outside Block Development Offices (BDOs) in Paschim Medinipur, North 24-Parganas, Bardhaman Purba, Bardhaman Paschim, Hooghly, Bankura, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar. Videos circulating on social media show long queues of women outside BDO offices and complaints about denial of benefits.
The unrest comes after the state government transferred funds on August 17 to eligible women. According to figures cited by the BJP, about 1.45 crore women are currently receiving benefits under the Annapurna Yojana — roughly 70 lakh fewer than the 2.2 crore beneficiaries covered under the previous Trinamool Congress government's scheme. The BJP had promised during the Assembly election campaign to double the monthly cash incentive for women. While the amount was indeed doubled under Annapurna Bhandar, the number of recipients has fallen significantly, and the scheme now carries conditions that were not part of the earlier promise.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari dismissed the protests as politically orchestrated by the Opposition and amplified by the press, asserting that his government would not yield to such pressure. He provided data showing that 28 lakh beneficiaries received funds in June, rising to 1.19 crore in July and 1.45 crore in August. “They can make reels for shock value and stage media trials by bringing out 20 people onto the streets, but such tactics will not work,” he said while addressing a programme in his Bhabanipur Assembly segment. He also announced that West Bengal will observe ‘Annapurna Diwas’ on September 17, the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has shared videos of the protests and accused the BJP of reneging on its promises. In a social media post, the TMC said, “People across Bengal are already FED UP with @BJP4Bengal's false promises and jumlas. Annapurna Bhandar was nothing but a JUMLA. We said it then, and we are reiterating it now. The Bengal BJP government has already gone back on its own poll promises and is now shamelessly toying with the lives and expectations of lakhs of women. @SuvenduWB, you made promises. Women believed you. And now, in just 100 days, Bengal has truly cut you down to size.”
The situation reflects a growing discontent among beneficiaries who feel the scheme, which was meant to provide financial support to all women, has been narrowed and made uncertain. The state government maintains that it is expanding coverage, while the Opposition argues that the current numbers are far below the earlier reach.
As protests continue, the administration has not yet announced any specific measures to address the grievances beyond the scheduled payments. The coming days are likely to see whether the government can restore confidence among the affected women or face further demonstrations.
