Annapurna scheme : A self-governed “SIR” by Government of West Bengal

The Annapurna scheme rolled out by the Government of West Bengal has a 12-page application form. The scheme is to provide a monthly allowance of 3000 rupees to the deserving population of the state. But who are these deserving people? The government will decide it after people have submitted their application forms. A series of very personal details has been asked all through the 12 pages. The form does not start with the applicant's name. It starts with the name of the Head of Family. To carry out a personal Special Intensive Revision, which is the name anyone will go for first.

The second page requires filling in the bank account details of up to 10 family members. Even a passport application does not ask for it. Will the honourable CM, Suvendu Adhikari, care to answer why the government needs these bank details, without marking someone as an anti-national? Pages 3 and 4 make a little sense, given that something of purpose needs to be achieved through this exercise. 

But, more interestingly, what comes after is yet more personal. The form is asking about the number of literate and illiterate members in the family. If there is a matter of cross-verification of the details, the bank accounts should be enough. To still ask for such details in the form proves the fact that this data will not be shared with any third party. 

A direct connection can be made on page 7, where the form wants to know whether the applicant's name has been deleted in SIR 2026. It also wants to know whether the case is pending in the Tribunal. In one of the pages, it also asks about the CAA application status, if there is any. All this information has reference to one fact. That the Government of West Bengal is going to conduct its own Special Intensive Revision through the scrutiny of these application forms.

Yes, it is true that the Government may seek this kind of information from its citizens for the sake of national development. Here, it is doing the same in the name of a social welfare scheme. 

Right after BJP formed the government in West Bengal, honorable CM, Suvendu Adhikari said that none of the social welfare schemes will be stopped. The Laxmi Bhandar scheme money wasn't deposited to the accounts in May, which means it is due. It has been announced that only after successful verification of the application forms, the money will start flowing into the deserved bank accounts. It might take up to a period of 90 days to complete the whole process. 

In the next three months, the BJP government will conduct a self-governed “SIR” by luring the people of the state to get a monthly allowance of only 3000 Rupees.