February 06 (TSP Bangla) – The Mamata Banerjee government on Thursday announced a series of welfare measures in its vote-on-account, rolling out fresh financial assistance schemes ahead of the Assembly elections.
A monthly unemployment allowance of ₹1,500 and a ₹500 increase in the Lakshmir Bhandar benefit were among the key announcements. The package also included a ₹1,000 hike in honorariums for Anganwadi and Asha workers, civic volunteers and para-teachers. In addition, landless farm workers will receive an annual assistance of ₹4,000, while gig workers have been brought under a health insurance cover.
The new unemployment support scheme, Banglar Yuba-Sathi, will come into effect from August 15. Under the scheme, unemployed youths aged between 21 and 40 who have passed Madhyamik will be eligible for the monthly assistance, provided they are not receiving any other direct cash benefit from the state government.
The allowance will be available for a maximum period of five years. It will be discontinued if the beneficiary secures employment before the end of that period.
According to government sources, the scheme was framed in response to growing dissatisfaction among educated youths over limited job opportunities in the state.
“They are angry also because of the alleged irregularities in the recruitment of schoolteachers,” a senior bureaucrat said.
“They have lost confidence in the ruling dispensation as major recruitment exams like the SSC are not held regularly. The government has tried to reach out to them through this scheme.”
Landless farm labourers will receive the ₹4,000 annual assistance in two instalments beginning in April. A dedicated database will be created to identify beneficiaries who depend solely on working on others’ farmland for their livelihood.
Gig workers will be brought directly under the state’s Swasthya Sathi health insurance scheme. At present, registration under the scheme is allowed only in the name of a woman member of the family. The new move is expected to expand coverage to thousands engaged in app-based and platform-driven jobs.
Apart from the new initiatives, the government has enhanced allocations under several existing welfare schemes.
Foremost among them is Lakshmir Bhandar, the monthly cash assistance programme for women aged between 25 and 60. The scheme covers around 2.21 crore beneficiaries and is widely seen as having played a key role in the Trinamool Congress’s victory in the 2021 Assembly elections.
Under the revised structure, the monthly assistance has been increased by ₹500. Women in the general category will now receive ₹1,500 per month, while beneficiaries from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities will get ₹1,700. The revised payments will take effect from February, the chief minister said after presenting the vote-on-account.
The decision to raise honorariums for Anganwadi and Asha workers, effective from April, followed protests by a section of them demanding better pay.
“Asha workers had brought the city to a standstill a few weeks ago.… The chief minister realised it would be tough for her to face elections if these workers remained dissatisfied with the government,” an official said. “Asha and Anganwadi workers have tremendous influence on the rural populace. The decision to enhance their pay would help the ruling party.”
Mamata said her government had tried its best to help people despite the Centre squeezing funds.
“The Centre owes ₹2 lakh crore to the state. Even in the recent (Union) budget, Bengal has been deprived,” she said.
“Despite such a large-scale deprivation by the Centre and non-payment of funds for (central) schemes like 100-day job, rural housing, rural roads and even Sarva Shiksha Mission… we have tried to do whatever little we could.”
Trying to pre-empt charges that the welfare schemes were pre-poll concessions, Mamata said: “We don’t make any promise because this is an election year, but we roll out schemes that we pledge.… You are witness that we have implemented our pre-poll promises to the best of our ability.”
Earlier in the day, Chandrima Bhattacharya, minister of state (independent charge), finance, had said: “Our government is committed to fulfilling the hopes, desires and dreams of its citizens by successfully implementing policies based on pro-people and inclusive socio-economic planning.”
