Why Annapurna Yojana August Payment Is Still Delayed

Annapurna Yojana August payment delayed for many West Bengal women despite CM’s August 30 deadline. Check status, reasons & helplines here.

Kolkata : Large numbers of eligible women in West Bengal have yet to receive the August instalment of ₹3,000 under the Annapurna Yojana even as the first week of the month draws to a close.

Annapurna Yojana August Payment Date

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had earlier stated that many beneficiaries had already received funds and that remaining applications were under verification. He had assured that enrolment of all eligible women would be completed and the money disbursed by August 30.

However, as of early August, numerous applicants report that the amount has not been credited to their bank accounts. This has led to growing public concern over the pace of disbursement and the transparency of the process.

Government officials say every application and supporting document is being scrutinised to ensure that only eligible beneficiaries receive the benefit. The verification exercise, they maintain, is necessary to prevent ineligible claims and is the primary reason for the staggered release of funds.

The Annapurna Yojana, launched in June 2026, provides a monthly assistance of ₹3,000 directly into the Aadhaar-linked bank accounts of eligible women aged 25 to 60 who are permanent residents of the state and not in permanent government employment. It replaced the earlier Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. More than one crore women have received previous instalments, while around 26 lakh applications were rejected after scrutiny.

Payments under the scheme are being released in phases rather than on a single day. Officials have indicated that the August instalment is being credited progressively as individual verifications are completed.

How applicants can check status

Beneficiaries can track their application status on the official portal socialregistry.wb.gov.in using their registered mobile number, Application ID or Aadhaar number. Status options include Approved, Rejected, Under Enquiry or Payment Pending.

Those whose applications show as Approved are expected to receive the funds shortly. Applicants marked Rejected can approach the local Block Development Officer or Sub-Divisional Officer for review.

Common reasons for delayed credit include unlinked Aadhaar, inactive Direct Benefit Transfer facility, data mismatches between Aadhaar, bank records and the application form, or applications still under verification.

Helpline support

Women facing issues have been advised to contact the following official helplines:

• Annapurna Yojana Helpline: 1800-345-5555
• Social Welfare Department: 1800-345-5505
• CM Connect Grievance Cell: 1971 or 1800-3456-851
• WhatsApp support: 82820 82820

Email queries can be sent to contact@annapurnabhandarwb.com.

The state government has reiterated that verification will continue through August and that all eligible women will receive the benefit by the August 30 deadline set by the Chief Minister. New applications remain open until late August.

Applicants are advised to rely only on official government channels for updates and to avoid unverified sources of information.

What Lies Ahead Before August 30

As local authorities expand door-to-door verification drives and host community help camps (“Baithake Adda”), officials express confidence that all genuine applicants will receive their ₹3,000 allowance prior to the August 30 deadline. Nevertheless, civil society observers emphasize that maintaining clear communication and accelerating clearance at the block level will be critical to restoring public trust in the state’s flagship welfare initiative.