Among the Mamata Banerjee government’s schemes over the last 50 months, it has spent the highest amount on its flagship Lakshmir Bhandar scheme — a programme widely believed to have yielded maximum political dividends for the ruling Trinamool Congress.

According to state a government data, Rs 74,000 crore has so far been spent on Lakshmir Bhandar, with 2,20,25,342 women receiving monthly assistance. Of them, 29,45,972 are from Scheduled Castes and 4,78,427 from Scheduled Tribes.

Ahead of the 2021 Assembly elections held during the Covid period, Mamata Banerjee promised Rs 500 per month for all women. After returning to power, the government launched the scheme in September 2021 and initially covered 1.39 crore beneficiaries. At the time, women from the general category received Rs 50

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