There is a wave of joy among crores of women in West Bengal as the state government begins releasing funds for the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme for the financial year 2026-27. Despite a slight delay due to new budget allocations and database updates, the disbursement process officially commenced in the second week of April.

As of today, April 13, many beneficiaries have already started receiving credit alerts. According to administrative sources, the majority of women will receive their allowance by April 15. Under the revised rates effective from February 2026, General and OBC category recipients are getting ₹1,500, while SC/ST beneficiaries are receiving ₹1,700 per month.

Interestingly, with the upcoming 2026 Assembly Elections, the government is considering releasing the May installment in advance by late April to avoid administrative hurdles during the polling period. This could mean a ‘Double Bonus’ for nearly 2.42 crore women this month. Beneficiaries are advised to ensure their bank accounts are Aadhaar-linked (DBT enabled) and can check their payment status on the official social security portal.