Lakshmir Bhandar to include an addl 5L women, says CM
Times of India | 22 November 2024
12 Kolkata: Expanding the social security cover in Bengal, CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said over 5 lakh more women would be included in the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. Another 43,900 elderly widows will be entitled to old age pension and 19,000 more persons with disabilities will be brought under the monthly benefit scheme.
Taking a dig at Centre, Banerjee said: "They make temporary schemes like Agniveer, which is pushing people into darkness. I think of permanent schemes."
Over 2.2 crore women in Bengal are currently covered under Lakshmir Bhandar.
Bengal's own rural housing scheme, to be rolled out from Dec 15, will be called Banglar Bari, she said. "They (Centre) do not provide funds but put their names in all yojanas. Even if I die after 10 years, I will not want a statue of mine. Many people proposed that I name things after my parents, but I did not agree," the CM told reporters after an administrative meeting at Nabanna.
Banerjee said there were 36 lakh mud houses in Bengal. "Within the next couple of years, all houses would be pucca. Disbursal of funds (under Banglar Bari) for 12 lakh houses will start from Dec 15 and would be completed by June 30. The beneficiaries would get Rs 60,000 as the first instalment," she said.
Under the Krishak Bandhu scheme, for Ravi crop in 2024-25, one crore farmers would get a support of Rs 2,943 crore. For Lakshmir Bhandar, Rs 48,490 crore had already been disbursed, the CM said, adding that the revised figure would touch around Rs 54,000 crore with the new beneficiaries.