Annapurna Bhandar Yojana 2026: How to Apply Online — Complete Guide

What You'll Learn

• Official portal link and the 90-day application window ending on August 30, 2026
• Complete eligibility criteria, including the 25-60 age limit and SIR 2026 rules
• Documents required and the step-by-step online application process with ARN tracking
• Auto-migration rules and ₹3,000 monthly DBT payment details with bank validation fixes

Annapurna Bhandar Yojana 2026: Scheme Overview

The Annapurna Bhandar Yojana, also known as the Matri Shakti Bharosa scheme, is the flagship women's welfare programme of the West Bengal government under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The West Bengal cabinet approved the scheme on May 18, 2026, and it replaces the earlier Lakshmir Bhandar scheme with a flat monthly assistance of ₹3,000 for every eligible woman, delivered directly to her bank account through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

The scheme marks a major increase over the previous benefit, which paid ₹1,500 per month for the General category and ₹1,700 per month for SC/ST categories under Lakshmir Bhandar. With the new flat amount, the government estimates that more than 2.2 crore women across the state will receive financial support. The official application portal went live on schedule on June 1, 2026, and the 90-day enrolment window runs until August 30, 2026.

Annapurna Bhandar Eligibility Criteria 2026

Only women who meet all the conditions below are eligible for the ₹3,000 monthly benefit. The rules were reconfirmed by the government when the scheme was notified in May 2026, and the same criteria apply to both online and offline applications.

Who Can Apply

• Gender: Only women can apply
• Age: Between 25 and 60 years at the time of application
• Residency: Permanent resident of West Bengal
• Ration Card: BPL, Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), or Priority Household (PHH) category ration card
• Bank Account: Active Aadhaar-linked bank account with DBT facility
• CAA Applicants: Women who have applied under CAA or approached the tribunal for voter list inclusion are eligible, as clarified by the minister

Who Is Not Eligible

• Taxpayers: Women who pay income tax cannot apply
• Government Employees: Permanent or retired government employees are excluded
• Pensioners: Women receiving a government pension are not eligible
• Other Exclusions: Applicants who own a four-wheeler or hold an EPF pension do not qualify
• Non-Residents: Women who are not residents of West Bengal cannot apply
• SIR 2026 Excluded: Women whose names were deleted from the voter list during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026 exercise are not eligible unless they have filed an appeal before the district tribunal

The SIR 2026 rule has affected many applicants, and the appeal process is explained in detail in our Annapurna Bhandar CAA and SIR rules guide. Remember that eligibility is judged on the applicant's own status, so a husband who pays income tax does not automatically disqualify his wife.

Documents Required for Annapurna Bhandar Application

Keeping your documents ready before you start will make the application process quick and error-free. The same documents are required for both online applications and offline applications submitted at Duare Sarkar camps or BDO offices.

• Aadhaar Card: Aadhaar number and the mobile number registered with Aadhaar for OTP verification
• Bank Passbook: Self-attested copy showing the IFSC code and account number. The account must be Aadhaar-linked
• Passport Photograph: Recent passport-size photo with a plain white background for upload
• Ration Card: Details of the BPL, AAY, or PHH ration card for verification of category
• Address Proof: Documents confirming permanent residency in West Bengal

How to Apply for Annapurna Bhandar Online at socialregistry.wb.gov.in

Online applications opened on June 1, 2026. The complete process takes about 15 minutes, and there is no application fee. Follow these steps to submit your application on the official Family Level Data Collection Portal:

1. Visit the Official Portal: Go to socialregistry.wb.gov.in and click on the Annapurna Yojana section.
2. Register with Mobile and OTP: Select your district, enter your 10-digit mobile number registered with Aadhaar, and verify with the OTP.
3. Fill the Application Form: Enter your personal details, address, age, and ration card number in the online form.
4. Add Bank Account Details: Provide the IFSC code and account number of the bank account where the ₹3,000 should be credited. The account must be linked with your Aadhaar.
5. Upload Documents: Upload scans of the Aadhaar card, bank passbook first page, and your passport photograph.
6. Review and Submit: Check every detail once and submit the form.
7. Note the ARN: After submission you will receive an Application Reference Number (ARN). Keep a screenshot or printout for tracking.

If you face any technical issue during registration, our Annapurna Bhandar portal login guide covers the registration workflow, OTP issues, and document scanning specifications in detail. Women who cannot apply online can visit their nearest BDO office or a Duare Sarkar camp, Janakalyan Shibir, or BDO help desk for offline submission.

Lakshmir Bhandar to Annapurna Bhandar Auto-Migration Rules

The most common question from existing beneficiaries is whether they need to apply again. The answer is no for most women. The government has confirmed that auto-migration runs in the backend, and existing Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries were among the first to receive the new ₹3,000 payment, with most payments completed on June 3, 2026.

Who Must Apply Fresh

• SIR 2026 Excluded: Women whose names were deleted from the voter list during SIR 2026 must apply fresh after their appeal is accepted by the tribunal
• Newly Eligible Women: Women who were not Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries but now meet the new criteria must submit a fresh application
• Previously Rejected Applicants: Women whose Lakshmir Bhandar application was rejected earlier can apply under the new scheme if they meet the criteria

After auto-migration, it is essential to keep your bank account active and Aadhaar-linked. If your account is dormant, inactive, or not mapped to Aadhaar, the DBT credit can fail. You can check your Aadhaar-bank mapping on the NPCI BASE portal before the payment date. For a detailed explanation of migration and the May 2026 payment delay, read our Lakshmir Bhandar payment delay and Annapurna migration guide.

Annapurna Bhandar Payment: ₹3,000 Monthly DBT and Bank Validation Issues

Three monthly payment cycles have been completed as of August 2026. The first ₹3,000 credits arrived in the first week of June, and the August cycle payments were processed within the first 10 days of the month. Around 28 lakh women were paid in the first tranche on June 3, 2026, and nearly 30 lakh applications were flagged for additional verification during the May 2026 exercise before the rollout.

The biggest real-world reason for missed payments has been NPCI mapper failures rather than portal errors. If your credit has not arrived, check the common issues below:

If your ₹3,000 has not arrived, first check the Aadhaar Mapped Status on the NPCI BASE portal. De-seeding from an old bank takes a full seven working days, so do not close your old account before the movement request is approved. Our bank account update guide for the Annapurna Bhandar scheme walks through the complete NPCI and B06 fix process.

How to Check Annapurna Bhandar Application Status

You can track your application and payment status from your mobile phone in two ways:

• On the Application Portal: Log in to socialregistry.wb.gov.in with your registered mobile number and open the Track Applicant Status section. Enter your ARN or Aadhaar number to view the current stage.
• On the Social Security Portal: The existing portal at socialsecurity.wb.gov.in also carries the Annapurna Yojana section where you can download the application form and check status after login.

The status normally moves through Under Process, Verified, Approved, and Payment Credited. If your status is stuck at Under Process for more than 15 days, visit your BDO office with your ARN number. For a direct walkthrough, see our Annapurna Bhandar status check guide.

Free Bus Travel and SIR 2026 Impact on Eligibility

Alongside the ₹3,000 monthly assistance, the government announced free travel for women on all state-run buses in West Bengal from June 1, 2026. This complementary benefit is not yet available on private buses, and the Annapurna ID generated through the portal will be used for verification.

The SIR 2026 voter list revision is the other factor that affects eligibility. Over 11 lakh women were marked as deleted, shifted, or absentee in the voter list, which blocks their residency verification on the portal. Women in this situation must file an appeal with the district SIR tribunal or provide proof of CAA application to restore their name before applying.

Since the scheme launched, fraudulent websites demanding registration fees have multiplied on social media. Registration on the official portal is completely free, and only official government domains (.gov.in) should be trusted. Never share your OTP or bank details with third parties, and read our Annapurna Bhandar scam alert guide to identify fake sites.

Conclusion

The Annapurna Bhandar Yojana delivers a flat ₹3,000 monthly payment to eligible women of West Bengal through the official portal socialregistry.wb.gov.in. With the 90-day application window closing on August 30, 2026, women who have not yet applied should complete their registration online or at their nearest Duare Sarkar camp before the deadline. Existing Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries have already been auto-migrated, and most received their first payment on June 3, 2026. If your payment has not arrived, verify your Aadhaar-bank mapping on the NPCI BASE portal and visit your bank for a B06 or seeding fix. For help, call the Annapurna helpline at 1800-345-5555 or the Social Welfare Department at 1800-345-5505. Official updates are published at socialregistry.wb.gov.in, and the eligibility rules were reported by The Times of India and Livemint when the scheme was announced in June 2026.