No culture of cut-money in Bengal anymore: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Thursday that there is no longer a "culture of cut-money" in West Bengal. He made the declaration during a virtual address, following the release of the fourth tranche of the Annapurna Yojana, a cash transfer scheme for women beneficiaries in the state. The PM emphasized that the money is now directly deposited into the women's bank accounts, eliminating the need for intermediaries and the associated "cut-money."

This change was a key campaign promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the West Bengal Assembly elections, which they won. Modi praised the BJP government's approach, stating that they "speak less and work more." The PM also highlighted that the government believes in providing benefits to all eligible women without any deprivation.

The Annapurna Yojana was first announced by the BJP during the election campaign to counter the Trinamool Congress government's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, which provided ₹1,500 monthly to over 2.2 crore beneficiaries. After assuming power in May 2026, the BJP government initiated beneficiary verification, a move criticized by the opposition as a deviation from their election promises.

The BJP has promised to revive stalled central schemes and has pledged to build pucca houses for over 50 lakh families.