Kolkata, May 11 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday directed officials to take steps to ensure that his government introduces the ‘Annapurna Bhandar’ scheme and provides free travel for women in state-run buses from next month, sources at the state secretariat said.
‘Annapurna Bhandar’ was a key promise mentioned in the BJP’s poll manifesto to provide women beneficiaries with a financial assistance of Rs 3,000 per month. Free bus travel for women on all state-run transport vehicles was also among the pledges of the saffron party.
However, the eligibility criteria and implementation guidelines of the schemes are yet to be finalised.
Several decisions were taken during a series of meetings chaired by Adhikari at the state secretariat Nabanna, sources said.
The chief minister also directed officials to take steps to roll out the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, which was not implemented by the previous TMC government, from June.
Officials said it remains unclear whether all residents would be covered or if the benefits would be linked to family income and other criteria.
According to sources, Adhikari made it clear during the meetings that no existing social welfare scheme in the state would be discontinued.
“Whether a scheme was introduced 30 years ago or 10 years ago, no social welfare project currently in operation will be stopped by this government,” Adhikari told officials, sources said. PTI SCH NN
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