Annapurna Yojana: CM Announces Grievance Portal, Remaining Payments by August 20

Annapurna Yojana payments for the remaining eligible beneficiaries will be completed by the morning of August 20, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Tuesday. The state government will also launch a dedicated grievance portal on the same day to address complaints related to the scheme.
The portal will allow people to report cases where they believe an ineligible person has received benefits or an eligible woman has been left out of the beneficiary list.

According to the Chief Minister, the government has received around 1.80 crore applications under the scheme. Of these, approximately 1.66 crore applications had been submitted by July 10, while around 14 lakh applications were still awaiting verification.

Annapurna Yojana Verification Process Underway
The Chief Minister said the government is conducting detailed verification of applications to ensure that public funds reach only eligible beneficiaries.

So far, payments have reportedly been transferred to around 1.31 crore women, while the remaining eligible beneficiaries are expected to receive their payments by August 20.

More than 53,000 applications from South Kolkata are also expected to be processed for payment by the deadline.

Remaining Applications to Be Verified

Adhikari said the verification of the remaining applications will be completed within a month. Once an applicant is found eligible, the person will be included in the beneficiary list for the following month.

The verification process, he said, has been undertaken to identify discrepancies and prevent public money from reaching ineligible recipients.

Grievance Portal to Open on August 20
A major feature of the government's latest announcement is the launch of the Annapurna Yojana grievance portal.

From August 20, beneficiaries and members of the public will be able to submit complaints through the online platform.

Complaints can include:

An ineligible person allegedly receiving scheme benefits

An eligible woman being excluded from the beneficiary list

Issues concerning payment

Other discrepancies in beneficiary records
The Chief Minister also appealed to BJP Mahila Morcha workers to help identify eligible women who may have been left out of the scheme.

Door-to-Door Verification by Women Workers
According to the Chief Minister, women workers will visit households from August 20 to check whether eligible beneficiaries have received their payments.
They will collect details such as application numbers and bank account information. These details can subsequently be submitted through the grievance mechanism for necessary verification.

Workers have also been asked to flag cases where a government employee may have allegedly received benefits under the scheme.

“This is government money,” the Chief Minister said, emphasising the need for accountability in the distribution of public funds.

Government Estimates ₹48,000 Crore Annual Expenditure

The Chief Minister said the state government has estimated an annual expenditure of approximately ₹48,000 crore under the scheme.

Given the scale of the programme and the large number of applications, the administration has stressed the importance of verification and monitoring to ensure that benefits reach the intended recipients.

The government is also seeking to strengthen the system through grievance redressal and community-level monitoring.

‘Annapurna Bahini’ to Be Formed

Adhikari urged party workers to create “Annapurna Bahini” units in every ward.

These units are expected to assist beneficiaries, identify people who may have been left out and monitor the implementation of the scheme at the local level.

The Chief Minister said such grassroots-level efforts would help ensure that eligible beneficiaries do not face difficulties in accessing the scheme.

CM Refers to Lakshmir Bhandar Verification

Responding to questions about why existing beneficiaries of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme could not simply be transferred to Annapurna Yojana, the Chief Minister referred to alleged irregularities in earlier beneficiary records.

He claimed that around 1.52 crore women had previously received ₹500 under the earlier arrangement and alleged that benefits had not reached some areas.

He also claimed that approximately three lakh male names had appeared among the beneficiaries.

The state government, according to the Chief Minister, therefore opted for a fresh verification process instead of automatically transferring existing beneficiary records.

Employment Opportunities for Women

The Chief Minister also highlighted the government's focus on women's participation in employment and recruitment.

He said women have been given priority in recruitment and employment opportunities, linking the welfare initiative with broader efforts to improve women's economic participation.

Maa Manasa Puja Holiday Announced

During the programme, the Chief Minister also announced a holiday on the occasion of Maa Manasa Puja, a traditional festival celebrated extensively in the Junglemahal region.

The announcement comes as part of the government's recognition of the cultural importance of the festival in the region.

CM Says Government Will Monitor Rain-Affected Areas

After the programme, the Chief Minister said he would visit areas affected by heavy rainfall, where a large number of people were waiting for assistance.
He reiterated his commitment to addressing people's concerns and said he works “24×7” to deal with public issues.

Focus on Beneficiary Assistance

The government's latest measures around Annapurna Yojana combine payment completion, application verification and grievance redressal.

With the grievance portal scheduled to open on August 20 and door-to-door verification planned by women workers, the administration aims to identify beneficiaries who may have been excluded while also flagging potentially ineligible recipients.

The Annapurna Yojana is set for another major implementation push, with the state government targeting August 20 for completion of pending payments to eligible beneficiaries. Around 1.31 crore women have already received payments, while thousands of pending applications remain under verification.

The proposed grievance portal is expected to provide beneficiaries with a formal channel to report payment-related problems and discrepancies in the beneficiary list. The government has also called for greater grassroots-level monitoring through “Annapurna Bahini” units.

With a projected annual expenditure of around ₹48,000 crore, ensuring transparency, accurate verification and timely payments will remain crucial to the implementation of the scheme.