The Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme is an initiative launched by the Government of West Bengal in February 2021. The program is aimed at providing financial assistance to the women of the state. It is also mainly targeted to empower women belonging to the economically weaker section of society.
Under this flagship program, women within a specific age group receive funds every month to become financially independent. The West Bengal government has received more than 1.5 crore applications for the same, making it one of the highly successful initiatives in the state.
What is the Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme?
There have always been several households where the females in the family are not financially independent, which could also have an impact on the survival of the entire family. The Government of West Bengal launched a programme called theLakshmir Bhandar to make thefemale members of a family financially independent and empower them by providing funds every month.
Objectives Of Lakshmir Bhandar
The primary objective of the Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme is to provide the female heads of a family with a specific amount of funds to ensure they are financially independent. Considering the average monthly expenditure of a household in West Bengal, the initiative has set an amount that would be provided to the families. It will make sure they can afford their everyday basic activities.
The purpose of the scheme is also toboost the economies of both urban and rural areas of the state by helping women be independent and fulfil their daily requirements.
Lakshmi Bhandar Eligibility Criteria
The Lakshmir Bhandar scheme has a few eligibility criteria that one must fulfil to apply for it. These include the following:
- The applicant must be a woman residing in West Bengal.
- The applicant should be between 25 and 60 years old.
- The applicant's household should also be enrolled under the ‘Swasthya Sathi’ scheme of West Bengal.
- The applicant must not be a permanent or retired government employee of the central or state government, government undertakings, statutory bodies, municipalities, panchayats, government-aided educational institutions, or local bodies receiving a regular salary or pension.
Lakshmir Bhandar Amount
The women eligible to enroll under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme will receive the following amount:
- Women head of a household belonging to SC and ST category - Rs. 1,000 per month
- Women head of a household belonging to other categories - Rs. 500 per month
However, with the budget presentation of 2024-25, the West Bengal Government announced that females belonging to any category except SC or ST will be getting financial assistance of Rs. 1,000 per month, while the females belonging to the SC and ST category will be receiving Rs. 1,200 per month.
Benefits Of the Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme
There are several benefits of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, some of them include the following:
- Through the scheme, the females of the state will be financially independent.
- More than 1.5 crore families will get financial assistance every month.
- Through the scheme, around 10% to 20% of the monthly expenditure of the families will be financially covered.
- The benefit amount of the scheme will be directly transferred to the bank account of the beneficiaries.
- Females from all caste groups can apply for the scheme.
How To Apply For The Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme?
Below are the steps to apply for the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme:
Step 1: Collect the application form for the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme from the Duare Sarkar camps near your household.
Step 2: Fill in the application form by entering the required details.
Step 3: Submit the application form at the Duare Sarkar camp along with the required documents and their self-attested copies.
Step 4: The applications received at the Duare Sarkar camps shall be verified and accordingly entered into the portal by the Block Development Officers in the rural areas and the Sub-Divisional Officers in the urban areas.
Step 5: The Block Development Officer or the Sub-Divisional Officer will recommend the list of eligible applicants to the District Magistrate to obtain his/her sanction.
Step 6: Once your application has been verified and sanctioned, the financial assistance will be credited to your bank account linked to your Aadhaar Card every month.
Lakshmir Bhandar Form PDF Download
You need to visit the Duare Sarkar camps near your house to collect the Lakshmir Bhandar application form free of cost. Alternatively, you can alsodownload the form online by visiting the official website of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.
Lakshmir Bhandar Form Fill Up Online
You can fill out the Lakshmir Bhandar form online by following the given steps:
Step 1: Visit the official website of theLakshmir Bhandar scheme.
Step 2: Enter the mobile number and captcha code.
Step 3: Click on the ‘Generate OTP’ button.
Step 4: Enter the OTP in the designated place to complete your registration process.
Step 5: Log in with your mobile number, and an application form will appear on the screen.
Step 6: Fill in the application form by entering the required details like your name, permanent address, Aadhaar card number, etc.
Step 7: Upload the necessary documents and click on the ‘Submit’ button.
Documents Required For Lakshmir Bhandar
The documents required to be submitted along with the Lakshmir Bhandar application form have been listed below:
- Aadhaar card
- Swasthya Sathi Card
- Caste certificate (for SC and ST category women)
- Bank account details, including a self-attested copy of the first page of your bank’s passbook containing the account holder’s name, bank account number, bank address, MICR number, and IFSC code.
- Passport-size coloured photograph of the applicant.
- Duly signed self-declaration that mentions the applicant is a female citizen of West Bengal and is not currently working in any Government aided bodies.
Lakshmir Bhandar Application Status
In case you have applied for the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme and would like to know the status of your application, you can proceed with the below steps:
Step 1: Visit theLakshmir Bhandar scheme website.
Step 2: Enter your application ID, mobile number, Aadhaar number or Swasthya Sathi number.
Step 3: Enter the given captcha code and click ‘Search’.
Step 4: The status of your application will be displayed on the screen.
Lakshmir Bhandar Payment Status Check
If you wish to check the payment status of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, you need to follow a few simple steps, which include:
Step 1: Visit theLakshmir Bhandar scheme website.
Step 2: Enter your application ID, mobile number, Aadhaar number or Swasthya Sathi number.
Step 3: Enter the given captcha code and click ‘Search’.
Step 4: The details of your Lakshmir Bhandar monthly payment status will be displayed on the screen.
Lakshmir Bhandar Helpline Number
If you have any queries regarding the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, call the helpline number -033-22143526. You can also mail your queries to the following mail ID -duaresarkarteam@gmail.com.
The Lakshir Bhandar scheme has been a great initiative successfully aimed at empowering the women of West Bengal. Several households have benefited from receiving monthly financial assistance through the scheme. So, if you are eligible for the scheme and have not yet applied for it, you can apply by following the steps mentioned above.
