Kolkata, May 30 (IANS) Amid speculation over the complexity of the 12-page application form for the Annapurna Yojana, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday said state government staff will visit beneficiaries’ homes to assist them in filling out the forms.

The scheme offers a monthly allowance of Rs 3000 to the women in the state.

The Chief Minister made this announcement while speaking to the media on the sidelines of a cervical cancer vaccination camp inauguration in Bidhannagar, on the outskirts of Kolkata.

“There is no need to pay heed to the speculations and rumours over the complexities of filling the Annapurna Yojana forms. Every woman eligible to receive the benefits under the schemes will receive the amount. We want the genuine recipients to get the money. We will ensure that no non-Indian or male person gets this money,” the Chief Minister said.

Thereafter, he said that the first phase of disbursement under the Annapurna Yojana scheme will be done on June 3, and the amount will be credited directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

“The state government will go to everyone’s house to fill out the forms. They will get the forms filled out for the beneficiaries. There is no need to pay heed to any kind of rumour,” the Chief Minister said.

Annapurna Yojana replaced the previous Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, introduced by the Mamata Banerjee government. The monthly payment amount under the Annapurna Yojana has been increased to Rs 3,000.

Initially, the new state government announced that all existing Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries will automatically get enrolled for the Annapurna Yojana scheme. However, later, the state government detected several ineligible persons, including males who had been receiving money under the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.

The state government then decided to introduce a 12-page form for enrollment under the Annapurna Yojana.

–IANS

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