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West Bengal raised Lakshmir Bhandar scheme payment to Rs 1500 and increased ASHA workers’ honorarium by Rs 1000, as Mamata Banerjee aims to woo women ahead of assembly polls.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee . (Image: PTI/File)
The West Bengal government on Thursday hiked payment under the flagship “Lakshmir Bhandar” scheme to Rs 1500 from Rs 1000, seen as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s bid to woo women before assembly polls.
The government also increased honorarium for ASHA workers by Rs 1,000 and announced a new scheme “Bangla Yuba Sathi” in which unemployed youth aged 21-40 will receive Rs 1500 till they get a job or up to five years.
“This project will be launched from August 15 this year, if we return to power after the Assembly election this year. A monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 will be given to secondary examination-passed youths in the age bracket of 21 and 40,” Bhattacharya said while reading out the interim Budget proposals.
She also announced the Seventh Pay Commission for the state.
These proposals were part of the interim (vote-on-account) Budget for the financial year 2026-27, which was placed on the floor of the House by the West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya on Thursday.
Currently, the women in the general category receive a monthly amount of Rs 1,000, while those in the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories get Rs 1,200.
According to the interim Budget proposal, women in the general category will henceforth receive a monthly amount of Rs 1,500, while those in the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories will get Rs 1,700.
A budgetary allotment of Rs 15,000 crore was allotted under the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ project in the interim budget proposals.
Assembly elections in West Bengal are due in April-May this year.
The state government has increased the remuneration of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) workers, para teachers, Siksha Bandhu, Siksha Sahayak, and civic and green police personnel by Rs 1,000. Dearness Allowance (DA) for government employees has also been raised by 4 per cent.
In addition, gig workers have now been brought under the Swastha Sathi health insurance scheme.
The size of the interim Budget was Rs 4,600 crore. The full state Budget for the financial year 2026-27 will be presented by the new cabinet after the crucial Assembly elections in the state scheduled later this year.
February 05, 2026, 15:09 IST
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