Agnimitra: Deleted, non-Indian women won’t get welfare funds

Kolkata: Women whose names have been deleted from the electoral rolls in SIR and those who are non-Indians would not be eligible for Lakshmir Bhandar or Annapurna Bhandar schemes in Bengal, said Agnimitra Paul, Bengal women and child development and social welfare minister on Tuesday. Those whose appeals were pending in SIR tribunals and those who had applied for CAA would be "considered separately", she said.Paul stated that an analysis would be done before crediting money to beneficiaries. "Those women who are enlisted will get it. But before that, an analysis will be done. Those whose names have been deleted in the SIR, and yet they were Laksmhir Bhandar beneficiaries — they will not get it. Also, how can those who died get Lakshmir Bhandar benefits? How can non-citizens get Lakshmir Bhandar? They won't get Annapurna Bhandar either. The CM has, however, stressed that those who had appealed in the (SIR) tribunals and under CAA will be kept out of this," Paul said.The minister reposted her detailed statement on X after some media reports suggested that those who had appealed in SIR tribunals will be struck off the beneficiary list. However, she did not elaborate what she meant by "considered separately". The state has around two crore Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries.On Monday, Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari had announced that the ongoing social welfare schemes like Lakshmir Bhandar would be carried forward by the new govt. It was also announced that Annapurna Bhandar, which will give women Rs 3,000 per month, will be rolled out from June.