State government has made an initial allotment of Rs 2.48 crore for implementation of the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme in 22 districts of West Bengal.
Of the total initial allotment, the highest amount has been earmarked for South 24 Parganas, which has registered the maximum number of beneficiaries. The allotment order shows that the highest amount that is Rs 29.81 lakh has been sanctioned for South 24-Parganas district followed by North 24-Parganas for which Rs 25.96 lakh has been allotted and East Midnapore with an allotment of Rs 19.87 lakh.
The other districts are namely Murshidabad (17.45 lakh), Howrah (15.24 lakh), East Burdwan (14.45 lakh), Nadia (14.40 lakh), West Midnapore (14.27 lakh), Hooghly (13.65 lakh), Birbhum (12.92 lakh), Malda (10.71), West Burdwan (10.28 lakh), Bankura (9.37 lakh), Coochbehar (8.30 lakh), Purulia (6.91 lakh), South Dinajpur (6.24 lakh), Jalpaiguri (4.77 lakh), Darjeeling (4.69 lakh), North Dinajpur (3.85 lakh), Alipurduar (2.97 lakh), Jhargram (2.08 lakh) and Kalimpong (23,000).
According to the allotment order issued by state women and child development and social welfare department on 27 September, “this allotment is issued to provide a contingency fund in connection with the implementation of Lakshmir Bhandar.
The fund allotted cannot be transferred to any other account under any circumstances”. A total of 1.97 crore women applied for the scheme. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has assured that the process of direct benefit transfer of the assistance will begin before Durga Puja and the roll out of the aid has already started from this month.