Allowance crisis in West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee faces backlash over 4-month delay

Senior citizens receive a monthly old-age pension, and widows in the state receive a widow pension. However, these schemes haven't received funding. Have these projects been discontinued?

Until now, beneficiaries received 1,000 rupees per month under the old-age and widow pension schemes. This helped them cover monthly expenses and purchase necessary medicines.

However, for the past four months, widow and old-age pensions have not been disbursed, causing significant hardship for beneficiaries.

There have been delays of a month or two in the past, but the funds were eventually disbursed. This time, the situation is different.

Beneficiaries report that the due amount has not been credited to their bank accounts since August of this year.

The August payment was received in early October, but disbursements stopped again, causing financial difficulties for seniors.

District administration sources indicate 106,507 registered old-age pension beneficiaries in the district. 87,409 individuals receive widow pensions, and 40,063 receive disability allowances.

Lakshmi Bhandar has 887,297 registered beneficiaries. Currently, only Lakshmi Bhandar and Manabik Portal accept new registrations.

New registrations for old-age and widow pensions are currently closed. Several beneficiaries in ward 13 of Siuri Municipality haven't received their old-age and widow pensions.