2026 Updates: New Features on West Bengal Social Security Portal for Beneficiaries

2026 brought the biggest changes yet to West Bengal's welfare portal — driven by the launch of Annapurna Bhandar. Here is what is new and how to use it.

1. The scheme itself changed

The headline update: Lakshmir Bhandar was replaced by Annapurna Bhandar on 1 June 2026. The old tiered payouts (₹1,500 general / ₹1,700 SC-ST) became a uniform ₹3,000/month for every eligible woman aged 25–60. Existing beneficiaries migrated automatically — no new paperwork, the amount just upgraded.

2. Track Applicant page

The portal's Track Applicant option (socialsecurity.wb.gov.in/track-applicant) is now the single place to check both application and payment status, searchable by mobile number, Aadhaar, application ID, or Swasthya Sathi card. Our payment status guide walks through it.

3. Stricter, clearer eligibility

The new scheme publishes explicit exclusions: income taxpayers, permanent or retired government employees, regular government salary/pension recipients, and those removed from the State Identification Register (SIR) do not qualify. Clearer rules mean fewer wrongly-accepted applications — and a cleaner beneficiary list.

4. Uniform benefit, no caste tiers

Annapurna Bhandar removed the caste-based payment distinction entirely. One amount, one rule — simpler for beneficiaries to understand and for the system to administer.

5. Added benefits

Beyond the monthly ₹3,000, the scheme includes free state-run bus travel for women — a benefit the old scheme did not have.

What beneficiaries should do

• If you were on Lakshmir Bhandar: nothing — migration is automatic. Just verify your payments arrive.
• If you are new: apply at socialregistry.wb.gov.in/citizen or offline at Duare Sarkar camps, block/SDO, or municipal offices. Forms are free in English, Bengali, and Hindi.
• Keep your Aadhaar seeded to an active bank account — DBT fails without it.
• Save the helpline: 1800-345-5505.

For the full backstory, read how the portal evolved since 2024. Back to the Social Security WB overview.