AI SummaryWest Bengal government started the Annapurna Yojana October installment of ₹3,000 on Panchami, 15 October 2026. About 8 lakh newly approved women got the money in their bank accounts that day for the first time, taking the total number of women in the scheme to around 1.6 crore.
Annapurna Yojana replaced the earlier Lakshmir Bhandar Scheme and gives every eligible woman a flat ₹3,000 a month, with no difference between general and SC/ST categories. October is the fifth installment. Around 2.16 crore applications came in before the window closed on 31 July 2026.
Annapurna Yojana installment date and payment schedule
First installment reached 28,25,769 women on 3 June 2026. Second started on 1 July, when the count crossed 1 crore. August money was held back for verification and then paid between 17 and 20 August to women who had applied by 10 July and cleared the check. September's ₹3,000 reached about 1.58 crore women from 17 September, which the state now marks as Annapurna Divas.
For October, no single date was announced for women already in the list. CM Suvendu Adhikari had said at Burdwan in late September that every woman cleared in verification would be paid before the Puja. Reports say the October credits started from 15 October and are going out in batches. Banks are closed or short-staffed from Maha Shashthi (17 October) to Bijaya Dashami (21 October), so some credits will only show up after the holidays.
Money goes straight into the woman's own Aadhaar linked bank account through DBT, so there is no office or ration shop visit. The Annapurna Yojana beneficiary list keeps growing as more forms clear checking, and newly approved women join the next payment round.
Installment date highlights
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Annapurna Yojana (Annapurna Bhandar Scheme) |
| Launched By | Government of West Bengal |
| 1st Installment | 3 June 2026 (28,25,769 women) |
| 2nd Installment | 1 July 2026 (over 1 crore women) |
| 3rd Installment | 17 to 20 August 2026 |
| 4th Installment | 17 September 2026, Annapurna Divas (about 1.58 crore women) |
| 5th Installment (October) | From 15 October 2026, Panchami (about 8 lakh new women added) |
| Total Women Covered | Around 1.6 crore |
| Installment Amount | ₹3,000 per month |
| Payment Mode | DBT to Aadhaar linked bank account |
| Status Check Portal | socialregistry.wb.gov.in/citizen |
| Helpline | 8282082820 (9 AM to 6 PM, Mon to Sat) |
Who will get the October installment
Getting the September money does not lock in the October amount. Checking is still going on, and names that fail it are dropped from the payment list.
- Women who got the September money and whose record still shows Approved get the October amount without doing anything.
- About 8 lakh women approved after the September round got their first ₹3,000 on 15 October and will stay in the monthly list from now on.
- Women showing Under Processing or Under Enquiry get paid in a later round. The state says a few thousand forms are still being checked.
- Women already getting West Bengal widow pension cannot take Annapurna Yojana too. They have to pick one, and names drawing both are being removed.
- Women showing Rejected get nothing until they fix the reason shown on the portal and resubmit, which has been allowed since 20 August.
About 17 lakh applications were rejected in verification, mostly over Aadhaar issues, and some because the woman or a family member pays income tax or holds a government job. Around 30 lakh old Lakshmir Bhandar records were also removed after SIR 2026 checks. Women whose citizenship or voter status is under appeal before a tribunal or pending under the Citizenship Amendment Act keep getting the money till their case is decided. MLAs were also asked to review the Annapurna Bhandar name list in their areas.
How to check your installment status
Keep the mobile number you gave in the form handy. Status is checked on the Annapurna Yojana portal.
STEP 1 - Open socialregistry.wb.gov.in/citizen and pick your district.
STEP 2 - Enter your registered mobile number, fill the captcha and click "Request OTP".
STEP 3 - Enter the OTP and open "Application Status". Approved means you are in the payment list. Rejected shows the reason, which you can fix and resubmit.
What to do if the October money does not come
Wait till banks reopen after Bijaya Dashami on 21 October and check your passbook again. If nothing has come by then, a bank problem is the most common reason.
STEP 1 - Confirm the bank account is active and in your own name. Joint accounts do not receive DBT.
STEP 2 - Ask your branch to confirm Aadhaar seeding and DBT (NPCI mapping) on the account.
STEP 3 - If your status is Approved and the bank side is fine, call 8282082820, email asap@wb.gov.in, or visit your BDO or SDO office with Aadhaar card, bank passbook and voter ID.
New applications and funding
Seva Setu Abhiyan camps were held across West Bengal from 2 to 4 October 2026 to sort out stuck and rejected Annapurna Yojana applications. Fresh applications are not open right now. On 13 September, CM Suvendu Adhikari said Jan Kalyan camps will be held in November and December 2026 to take new forms. The Annapurna Bhandar Scheme application form guide lists the papers to carry. The West Bengal Budget 2026-27 has set aside close to ₹36,000 crore for the scheme.
FAQ's
Will women whose August payment was missed get arrears?
No official order on arrears has been published yet. Keep your passbook entries and status screenshot, and ask at your BDO or SDO office if a month was missed after approval.
Does the payment date change every month?
Yes, so far it has. CM Suvendu Adhikari said the money would go out in the second week of each month, but August and September both started on the 17th and October started on 15 October because of Durga Puja. The November date has not been announced.