Bengal Budget 2026: Mamata govt announces Rs. 500 addition in Lakshmi Bhandar scheme

Ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has rolled out a major pre-poll move by enhancing benefits under the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme. Presenting the interim budget for 2026–27 in the West Bengal Assembly, Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya announced a ₹500 increase in monthly assistance for women beneficiaries.

Under the revised structure, women from the general category will now receive ₹1,500 per month, up from ₹1,000. For women belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes, the amount has been increased from ₹1,200 to ₹1,700. The enhanced payments will take effect from February and are expected to benefit around 22.1 million women across the state.

The budget has earmarked ₹15,000 crore to meet the additional expenditure under the scheme. The government also clarified that over two million new applicants recently enrolled under Lakshmi Bhandar will be covered under the revised rates.

Beyond women-focused welfare, the interim budget includes a 4 percent hike in dearness allowance for state government employees and a ₹1,000 increase in monthly honorariums for ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and assistants. The government also announced a proposal to provide ₹1,500 per month to unemployed secondary-level youth from August, if re-elected.