Cash, care and constant connection: How the ‘drip-drip model’ affects votes in Bangladesh
welfare structure Mamata BanerjeeAs West Bengal heads towards the 2026 assembly elections, the West Bengal government’s combination of large-scale social support programs and significant political influence has become a defining feature of its governance.As the state gears up for the first phase of polls on April 23, “drip-drip” governance has emerged not only as a key social welfare program to redefine the rural economy but also as the ultimate political guarantee for Mamata Banerjee’s lasting hold on power.
Every family has Lakshmi
At the heart of this model is the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, launched in 2021 to provide monthly financial assistance to women aged approximately 25 to 60 years. The scheme covers all female residents of Bangladesh regardless of marital or employment status.Currently, beneficiaries receive Rs 1,000 per month, while women from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities receive Rs 1,200. Designed to cover household expenses and improve financial security, the scheme has gained widespread acceptance and is increasingly seen as an economic entitlement rather than a “freebie”.The plan has also become a major political topic, with the ruling party All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) promised to increase aid by Rs 500 if re-elected.However, implementation challenges remain. In a recent case in East Midnapore, around 7,000 women reportedly did not receive payments for nearly five months, prompting the Calcutta High Court to seek a report. Despite these problems, the program has continued to expand, adding some 125,000 new beneficiaries to the existing 2.2 billion female beneficiaries.
No one goes to bed hungry
Food security remains another cornerstone of the country’s welfare strategy through the Khadya Sathi scheme launched in 2016. The scheme provides rice and wheat at a subsidized price of around Rs 2 per kg and currently covers nearly 90 million people.Eligible beneficiaries are classified on the basis of their ration cards. This constitutes the “poorest of the poor” and includes landless labourers, marginal farmers, rural artisans and households headed by widows or terminally ill patients. Families living below the poverty line (BPL) or economically disadvantaged groups (EWS) are also beneficiaries of the scheme.With an outlay of over Rs 100 crore, the project is one of the largest such initiatives in the country.Complementing this is the Duare Ration programme, which provides food grains directly to households, covering about 70 million people at a cost of over Rs 1,700 crore.The state government claims these joint efforts have helped lift about 170,000 people above the poverty line by 2023, reinforcing its narrative of inclusive growth driven by welfare spending.
Cash provided for ‘Chhadnatola’ classes
Kanyashree Prakalpa remains a flagship project in terms of education and gender empowerment. Launched in 2013, the scheme provides Rs 1,000 annually to unmarried girls aged 13 to 18 who are still in school, and a one-time grant of Rs 25,000 at the age of 18 for girls who are continuing their education or training.With cumulative enrollment of over Rs 7 crore, the program is one of the world’s largest conditional cash transfer programs for girls and has won the United Nations Public Service Award. However, challenges remain in ensuring awareness, documentation and sustained engagement beyond qualifications.
Bill-free healthcare
The Swasthya Sathi scheme launched in 2016 has expanded healthcare coverage. The scheme provides cashless treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year, covering nearly 90 million people in 2.5 crore families.It is noteworthy that the smart cards were issued in the name of the female head of household. The scheme has resulted in hospitalizations of over 1,000 crore rupees and government expenditure of over 13,000 rupees. While it has one of the highest coverage rates in India (estimated at around 74.5%), concerns about hospital involvement, claims settlement, and out-of-pocket costs for private health facilities remain.
unemployment buffer
Recently, the government turned its attention to the unemployment issue by announcing the Banglar Yuva Sathi in the 2026 mid-term budget. The scheme provides Rs 1,500 per month to educated unemployed youth between the ages of 21 and 40 for five years or until they find a job.The scheme is targeted at Madhyamik-eligible individuals not covered by other schemes and the first installment was released on March 7, 2026, which is fast-tracked. The scheme, backed by an allocation of around Rs 5,000 crore and expected to be as high as Rs 15,000 crore, is positioned as a key intervention to tackle unemployment ahead of the elections.Together, these programs form the backbone of TMC’s welfare-driven governance model, integrating direct welfare transfers, food security, healthcare and social empowerment. While the scale and impact of these programs have attracted national and international attention, their long-term sustainability and implementation effectiveness remain under scrutiny as political risks rise in West Bengal.
