Bengal govt announces free bus travel for women from June 1

A series of major welfare decisions were taken during Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s meetings at Nabanna on Monday, including the launch of free travel for women on government buses in West Bengal from June 1. The state government also announced that the Annapurna Bhandar scheme for women and the Ayushman Bharat health scheme would begin in the state from June.

According to decisions taken during the meetings, women will start receiving benefits under the Annapurna Bhandar scheme from next month. Under the scheme, women are expected to receive financial assistance of ₹3,000 per month. However, the government has not yet clarified whether the scheme will apply to all women in the state or only to those meeting specific eligibility conditions.

The Chief Minister also stated that no existing social welfare scheme in the state would be discontinued under the new government. He said programmes introduced by previous administrations, regardless of when they were launched, would continue to operate. Before the Assembly elections, the BJP had announced in its manifesto that schemes such as Annapurna Bhandar and Ayushman Bharat would be introduced if the party came to power in the state.

The government also confirmed that the Ayushman Bharat health scheme would be implemented in West Bengal from June. However, officials have not yet clarified whether all residents of the state would receive benefits under the scheme or whether eligibility would depend on family income and other criteria. Detailed guidelines regarding both schemes are yet to be announced by the administration.