Decode Politics: In Bengal, why Mamata, BJP are trading fireworks over Lakshmir Bhandar scheme

As the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal enter its last two laps, the Mamata Banerjee government’s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme seems to have taken centre stage.

In their campaigning, the leaders cutting across party lines — from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) to the principal Opposition BJP – have been debating this scheme.

Here is a look at why the scheme has figured so prominently in the poll discourse in the state.

Ahead of the 2021 Bengal Assembly elections, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had promised to implement a direct benefit transfer (DBT) programme to help women in the state “who had lost their savings to demonetisation”. She walked the talk after her third straight victory and in February 2021, launched the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.

Under the scheme, women belonging to the general category receive a monthly assistance of Rs 500 while women from the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) sections get Rs 1,000 per month. The scheme has got massive response, with a large number of women being seen queuing up during the “Duare Sarkar (government at your doorstep)” drive to register themselves for it.

All women under the age of 60 are eligible for the scheme. According to government data, there are over 2.1 crore beneficiaries of the scheme across the state, making it the Mamata government’s largest financial assistance programme.

Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the TMC government in its budget increased the assistance under the scheme to Rs 1,000 a month for women of the general category and Rs 1,200 for SC/ST women.

Recently, addressing a rally Mamata charged that the BJP would stop the scheme if it comes to power in the state. “I dare them to stop the scheme. Benefits under the scheme are women’s rights. Only