Significant changes are coming to the West Bengal government’s flagship social welfare scheme, ‘Lakshmi Bhandar’. From April 2026, thousands of beneficiaries might face difficulties in receiving their monthly allowances due to strict new administrative mandates issued by Nabanna. The state government has warned that failure to comply with certain banking and documentation requirements could lead to the immediate suspension of payments.

Following the recent hike in the interim budget, where the monthly grant was increased by ₹500, General category women are receiving ₹1,500, while SC/ST women are getting ₹1,700 per month. However, for the April 2026 installment, the government has prioritized bank account validation and Aadhaar seeding. Nabanna has noticed that thousands of transactions are failing due to discrepancies in names, inactive bank accounts, or the use of joint accounts.

According to the latest directive, it is now mandatory for every beneficiary to have a verified ‘Single Bank Account’ linked with Aadhaar. Joint accounts will no longer be entertained for direct benefit transfers (DBT) to ensure transparency and security. Beneficiaries whose accounts are not properly validated or have spelling errors in their names are at a high risk of losing their monthly aid starting this April.

Local district administrations have been instructed to organize special camps to resolve these issues on a priority basis. Women who haven’t updated their banking details or completed Aadhaar seeding are urged to visit their respective banks or the nearest Duare Sarkar camp immediately. The move, while aimed at streamlining the system, has caused widespread concern among thousands of women who rely on this financial support.