Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday called upon mothers and sisters to step into the role of Birangonas (heroines) and stand up against what he described as the “Tukre Tukre Gang,” urging them to protect the motherland and national culture. While outlining details of the Annapurna Yojana, a monthly direct bank transfer scheme for women, and several women-centric welfare schemes, Adhikari referred to historical figures such as Matangini Hazra, Rani Rasmani, Rani Shiromani, Bina Das, and Pritilata Waddedar, stating that women inspired by their legacy must lead resistance against forces that, according to him, seek to undermine patriotism and nationalism from within the country.
He announced that an “Annapurna Yojana Bahini” will be formed across 60 wards of North Kolkata, consisting of scheme beneficiaries and other women. “The group will work towards advocating women’s rights and addressing issues of social oppression at the grassroots level. The members of the group will take a stand against the tukre tukre gang to protect national culture,” Adhikari said.
A special web portal for the scheme is scheduled to be launched on August 20, through which grievances and applications can be submitted directly. Adhikari added that the platform would help ensure transparency in identifying eligible beneficiaries and correcting discrepancies, including cases where ineligible individuals may have been included or genuine beneficiaries excluded. He also appealed to financially well-off women to voluntarily opt out of the scheme to allow support to reach those in greater need.
Criticising the previous government, Adhikari alleged irregularities in beneficiary lists between 2021 and 2024, including inclusion of non-eligible individuals, non-citizens whose names were later removed, and deceased persons. He said the revised approach under the current administration prioritises fiscal discipline and ensures that financial assistance reaches only genuine beneficiaries through simplified application procedures.
Following the North Kolkata programme, Adhikari said he would attend an event at Dhana Dhanya Stadium organised by the South Kolkata District Mahila Morcha, where further details of women empowerment initiatives would be highlighted. He also referred to ongoing investigations into incidents in Baruipur and the RG Kar case, stating that strict legal action was being pursued against those found guilty.
Among additional welfare announcements, he said the annual grant under the Kanyaratna Diwas scheme for female students would be increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 from next year, along with a proposed one-time assistance of Rs 50,000 for female students pursuing higher education.
Adhikari further stated that remuneration for ICDS and ASHA workers has been increased by Rs 5,000. The daily food allocation for pregnant women at centres has also been raised from Rs 12 to Rs 14.
On women’s safety, he announced the formation of a special “Durga Squad” and two all-women police battalions. Women’s Help Desks have already been set up in over 650 police stations across the state. He added that the integrated emergency helpline number 112 is expected to be launched on Mahalaya, along with the deployment of new police vehicles to improve emergency response times to around six minutes.
He said these measures, modelled on systems used in states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, are aimed at strengthening women’s safety and ensuring faster administrative response during emergencies.
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