Lakshmir Bhandar is now Annapurna Yojana: passbook PDF upload guide

Lakshmir Bhandar was replaced by Annapurna Yojana from June 2026, so new applications and document uploads now go through the Annapurna Yojana process on socialregistry.wb.gov.in. If you need to upload a bank passbook scan, compress it until it is below the limit the upload screen shows, and keep the account number and IFSC readable.

Many families in West Bengal still search for Lakshmir Bhandar when a payment stops or a form asks for documents. This guide explains what changed in 2026, what it means for existing beneficiaries and how to prepare a bank passbook PDF that uploads cleanly.

Key takeaways

• A West Bengal notification dated 19 May 2026 introduced Annapurna Yojana from 1 June 2026. Existing Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries were moved to it automatically, except for the excluded categories.
• Annapurna Yojana pays Rs 3,000 a month by direct benefit transfer to an Aadhaar-linked bank account in the woman's own name.
• The old socialsecurity.wb.gov.in address now redirects to socialregistry.wb.gov.in, which the state lists as the online application portal.
• No official per-file upload limit is published on the scheme page. Use the limit printed on the upload screen.
• For a passbook scan, the account holder's name, account number and IFSC must stay legible after compression.

What happened to Lakshmir Bhandar

Lakshmir Bhandar beneficiaries were migrated to Annapurna Yojana, which replaced it from June 2026. The Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare announced the change in notification No. 2411-WCD/O/AB-4/2026, according to the text republished by WBXPRESS, and News On AIR reported the same rollout.

The notification lists who is not migrated: beneficiaries recorded as dead, shifted, deleted or absentee electors during the 2026 special intensive revision of electoral rolls (SIR-2026), along with some related categories. Beneficiaries with appeals pending before the SIR tribunal, or with applications pending under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, keep receiving assistance until those are decided.

The comparison uses the state's Annapurna Yojana scheme page and Business Today's summary of the differences, which says Lakshmir Bhandar rates rose over time and that Annapurna Yojana has stricter exclusions.

Do you need to upload anything?

Most migrated beneficiaries do not need to apply again. New applicants and people fixing a rejected record may need to upload documents. The state scheme page lists the voter card (EPIC), the Aadhaar card and an active mobile number as requirements. New applicants can apply online or submit the Family Level Data Collection form at a BDO, SDO or KMC ward office. The full application walkthrough is in our guide to compressing Aadhaar PDFs for Annapurna Yojana.

Because payments go to an Aadhaar-linked account in your own name, bank details are the most common reason a record needs correcting. If an official or the form asks for a passbook copy, the steps below keep the file small and readable.

How to prepare a bank passbook PDF

1. Photograph the right page. Use the first page that shows the account holder's name, account number, IFSC and branch. Lay the passbook flat in daylight, shoot straight on and avoid flash glare on the printed numbers.
2. Make a single PDF. Turn the photo into a PDF with JPG to PDF, or capture and crop it in the browser with Scan to PDF.
3. Compress it. Open the Lakshmir Bhandar PDF compressor, which opens Siliph's Compress PDF tool with a 200 KB target already set. If the upload screen shows a different limit, type that number as the target in Compress PDF instead.
4. Check before uploading. Confirm the size in your file manager, then zoom in on the account number and IFSC. If any digit is unclear, start again from the original photo with a gentler setting.
5. Upload and keep the acknowledgement. Save the reference number the portal or office gives you.

Compress PDF runs on Siliph's servers: the file travels over an encrypted connection, is processed automatically and is deleted within 2 hours. It is free and needs no account.

Fixing common problems

The portal says the file is too large

Lower the target size a step and compress the original again. Crop away the table or bed around the passbook first, because empty background still costs bytes. A black-and-white copy made with PDF to Grayscale is usually smaller as well.

The scan is rejected as unreadable

Retake the photo in better light rather than compressing harder. Shadows across the account number are a more common cause than file size.

The upload stops halfway

Smaller files upload faster on mobile data. Switch to a steadier connection, keep the page open and try again.

Frequently asked questions

Is Lakshmir Bhandar still running in 2026?

No. Annapurna Yojana replaced it from 1 June 2026 under a notification dated 19 May 2026, and existing beneficiaries outside the excluded categories were moved over automatically.

What is the new Lakshmir Bhandar website?

Online applications for Annapurna Yojana go through socialregistry.wb.gov.in, and the old socialsecurity.wb.gov.in address redirects there.

What is the file size limit for passbook uploads?

The official scheme page does not publish one. Use the limit shown next to the upload field and compress to a little below it.

My Lakshmir Bhandar payment stopped. What should I do?

Check whether your name falls into one of the excluded categories in the notification, then check your status on the portal or ask at your BDO, SDO or KMC ward office. Bring your Aadhaar, voter card and bank passbook.

Sources

• Government of West Bengal: Annapurna Yojana scheme details
• Government of West Bengal: Family Level Data Collection Portal
• WBXPRESS: Introduction of Annapurna Yojana Scheme in West Bengal (notification 2411-WCD dated 19.05.2026)
• News On AIR: West Bengal government to roll out Annapurna scheme with monthly aid of Rs 3,000 for women from June 1
• Business Today: West Bengal's Annapurna Yojana goes live, key changes from Lakshmir Bhandar