Women navigate 12-page Annapurna Yojana form

Debashis Konar & Kaushik Pradhan

Kolkata: The state govt on Wednesday released the 11-page application form (12 pages in Bengali) for the newly launched Annapurna Yojana, a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme under which eligible women will receive monthly financial assistance of Rs 3,000.

Unlike the Lakshmir Bhandar form, which was a simple two-page document requiring minimal data such as basic bank details, Aadhaar card numbers, and mobile numbers, the Annapurna Yojana form is extensive. It seeks detailed information about applicants and their families to create a comprehensive family database for future welfare schemes.

Applicants must provide the names, dates of birth, and addresses of all family members, along with their relationship to the head of the household. The form requires Aadhaar-linked bank account details for every adult family member, as well as mobile numbers linked with Aadhaar, voter identity card numbers, Assembly constituency details, and part numbers.

The govt has further sought information related to digital ration cards, housing quality (such as ownership of pucca houses), landholdings, mutation and registration documents, and whether any member of the family owns a four-wheeler. Applicants must also disclose whether they are already beneficiaries of any state govt scheme, health insurance programme, or existing DBT benefits. If available, PAN card details, income tax or professional tax liabilities, and occupational details supported by relevant documents must be submitted.

Educational qualifications of all family members are also being collected; applicants must mention the highest educational qualification attained by each member and submit supporting certificates. Furthermore, information regarding the family’s total annual income, the vaccination status of children, and the names of schools attended by them has been made mandatory.

The form also asks whether any family member has applied for citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), availed of benefits under the Student Credit Card scheme, or had their name deleted during the Summary Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls 2026. In cases where names were removed, applicants must specify whether they have a pending tribunal case.

Officials stated that the form was designed to cross-verify the financial status of beneficiaries, serving as a database-cleansing exercise rather than a simple benefit enrolment. By cross-checking Aadhaar, bank linkages, land, vehicles, govt pensions, GST registration, and electoral records, the state govt aims to capture multi-layered data on beneficiaries and their families.

For eligible low-income families, the form could help bring targeted cash support through a more transparent selection process. However, its length and complexity may create compliance burdens, especially for rural, illiterate women, informal workers, and families without mobile phones.

Unveiling the form, CM Suvendu Adhikari said the application process would begin on June 1 and continue for three months, urging citizens not to rush. The application forms will be available both online and offline in Bengali, Hindi, and English. He also announced that govt officials would conduct door-to-door visits to assist citizens unable to complete the process on their own. MLAs, too, would be assigned responsibilities to ensure the smooth implementation of the scheme.

The CM clarified that income taxpayers, govt employees, regular salaried individuals, and pensioners would not be eligible for the Annapurna Yojana. However, he emphasised that applicants undergoing the CAA process or those undergoing judicial review under the SIR process would remain eligible.

Info:

* You must provide the name of the head of the family, names of all family members, their date of birth, gender, Aadhaar number, ration card ID, address, and contact number.

* You must provide the bank account numbers and IFSC codes for all family members.

* You must specify the EPIC (voter ID) number and Assembly constituency and part number for every member.

* If any family member holds health insurance, relevant details regarding it must be provided.

* You must disclose the occupation of each family member.

* The educational qualifications of all family members must also be specified.

* Information regarding the child members of the family must also be provided. The names of their schools have been requested.

* Do you possess a digital ration card? (If so, relevant details must be provided.)

* Does your household have three or more pucca (permanent) rooms?

* What is the total landholding of all family members combined?

* Does anyone in the family own a four-wheeled vehicle?

* The application form requests information regarding whether the applicant has applied for a certificate under the Citizenship Amendment Act.

* Whether their name is currently pending adjudication before a tribunal as part of the SIR process.

* Information regarding the vaccination status of the family’s young members must also be submitted.

* Furthermore, stating the family’s annual income and taxpaying status is mandatory.