From July to October, Annapurna Bhandar protests keep returning across Bengal
From July to October, protests over alleged delays and non-receipt of Annapurna Bhandar payments have surfaced across West Bengal. Women have surrounded government offices, blocked roads and, in one reported instance, railway tracks, with fresh demonstrations emerging at Kolkata’s Seva Setu camps.
Reports of protests over alleged non-receipt of money under the Annapurna Bhandar scheme have emerged from several districts and cities across West Bengal since July. Women have reportedly surrounded BDO and municipal offices, blocked roads and, in some cases, taken to railway tracks. Police intervention was also reported at several locations.
The discontent continued through September and resurfaced in early October at Seva Setu camps in Kolkata, raising questions about delays and difficulties in the process of application, verification, approval and payment.
July: Protests begin to emerge
On July 2, protests were reported from Domjur in Howrah, Bolpur and Rampurhat in Birbhum, and Dhupguri in North Bengal.
According to a report by Samay Kolkata, many women alleged that ₹3,000 had not been credited to their bank accounts despite submitting applications. In Bolpur, women reportedly went to the municipal office to protest.
The following day, July 3, the issue surfaced more prominently in the Arambagh subdivision. A large number of women reportedly gathered at the SDO office, alleging that they had not received the money despite applying. Bartaman reported growing dissatisfaction across the subdivision.
Similar complaints were reported from Rampurhat, where women allegedly protested after failing to receive the money despite submitting applications.
July 7: Demonstrations across multiple districts
On July 7, protests were reported from several parts of the state.
Hindusthan Samachar reported gatherings outside BDO offices in Jalangi in Murshidabad, Belpahari in Jhargram and Haldia in East Midnapore. The women allegedly said that the money had not been credited to their accounts despite submitting applications both online and offline.
Women were also reported to have protested outside Purulia Municipality. According to Aaj Tak Bangla, they alleged that they had been waiting for months despite having applied for the benefit.
In Phansidewa, more than a hundred women reportedly protested on the premises of the BDO office, according to Bartaman. One report also carried an allegation of lathi-charge against the protesters. Since the claim requires corroboration from the police or administration, it is safer to describe it as an allegation rather than as an established fact.
In Bongaon, women were reportedly involved in a protest outside the BDO office, followed by a blockade of the Bongaon-Bagda road.
August : The discontent widens
By August, reports of protests had spread to more districts.
On August 20, more than a hundred women reportedly demonstrated outside the SDO office in Balurghat. Hindusthan Samachar reported that the protest concerned alleged non-payment of dues and that the road outside the administrative building was subsequently blocked.
An August 20 report by Anandabazar also mentioned protests over Annapurna payments in Asansol and Madhyamgram. In Balurghat, some protesters reportedly attempted to enter the SDO office.
The situation reportedly intensified the following day.
August 21: Road and rail blockades reported
On August 21, protests were reported from several districts, including Paschim Medinipur, Jalpaiguri, Malda, Hooghly and Bankura.
According to Hindusthan Samachar, women gathered outside government offices and roads were blocked in some places. In Birati in North 24 Parganas, women were also reported to have taken to the railway tracks in protest.
In Murshidabad's Jangipur, women reportedly surrounded the municipal office. Aaj Tak Bangla reported protests in Jangipur, Sagardighi and Diamond Harbour on the same day, while also mentioning the railway blockade in Birati.
In Dantan-II block of Paschim Medinipur, several hundred women reportedly gathered outside the BDO office. On the same day, Minister Agnimitra Paul was attending a meeting at the district administrative building. Women reportedly raised their grievances over the alleged non-receipt of Annapurna payments with the minister. According to information republished from Ei Samay, the minister assured them that the issue would be addressed.
In Hooghly's Arambagh subdivision, a group of women reportedly protested at the Goghat-II BDO office, alleging non-payment. Police reportedly went to the spot and attempted to bring the situation under control, according to Hindusthan Samachar.
August 27: Protests continue
The protests continued into the final week of August.
On August 27, women reportedly blocked the Canning-Basanti Road in front of the Canning-I BDO office in South 24 Parganas, demanding Annapurna payments, according to Bartaman.
The repeated appearance of road blockades by this stage indicated that complaints over delayed or missing payments were no longer confined to individual administrative offices.
September: The complaints persist
The protests did not completely subside in September.
On September 20, a large number of women gathered at the Harishchandrapur-I block office in Malda after a fake notice concerning Annapurna Bhandar reportedly circulated.
Media reports said some women claimed that they had received the first instalment but not subsequent instalments. Police reportedly went to the spot to bring the situation under control.
Three days later, on September 23, protests were reported from Dhulagarh in Sankrail, Howrah.
Women allegedly claimed that they had not received the money for four months. Media reports said that the panchayat office was locked and a state highway was blocked during the protest.
On the same day, women in Udaynarayanpur in Howrah were also reported to have protested over alleged non-receipt of Annapurna benefits, according to Anandabazar.
In another incident that day, women from the Kuliya Solbaga area of Jaipur in Howrah reportedly blocked the road near Kuliyaghat, alleging that they had not received Annapurna payments, according to Ganashakti.
October: The discontent reaches Kolkata
The most recent reports suggest that the issue has not remained confined to the districts.
On October 2, protests were reported at Seva Setu camps in New Alipore and Rajarhat in Kolkata.
According to The Times of India, people protested over new applications for Annapurna Bhandar and access to the scheme at the two camps.
In New Alipore, the situation reportedly became tense, with allegations that chairs and tables were damaged, prompting police intervention. In Rajarhat, one woman and one man were reportedly arrested, according to the report.
From application to payment: Where is the problem?
The pattern emerging from these incidents is notable. Between July and September, similar complaints repeatedly surfaced across different parts of West Bengal: applications were reportedly submitted, but beneficiaries claimed that payments had either not arrived or had stopped after an initial instalment.
The forms of protest varied—from gatherings outside BDO and municipal offices to office gheraos, road blockades and, in one reported instance, a railway blockade.
The recurrence of such complaints, followed by fresh protests in Kolkata at the beginning of October, raises a broader administrative question: where in the chain—from application and verification to approval and the eventual transfer of funds—is the process breaking down?
