West Bengal Government Notifies Free Travel in State-Run Buses for Women from June 1, 2026

The West Bengal government has issued a notification allowing women to travel free of cost on all State-run buses from June 1, 2026, as per PTI reports. The scheme will cover both short-route and long-route government-operated buses across the State. 

The Transport Department notification, issued on May 21, said the measure is part of the government’s women-focused welfare initiatives. Women passengers will initially be allowed to avail the benefit by producing valid photo identity documents while travelling. 

Smart Cards to Be Issued 

According to the notification, eligible beneficiaries will later receive smart cards carrying QR codes, photographs, and personal details. Applications for these cards can be submitted through Block Development Officer (BDO) or Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) offices. 

The government has listed multiple documents for verification, including Aadhaar cards, voter identity cards, PAN cards, passports, driving licences, pension documents, and government-issued identity cards. School and university identity cards will also be accepted in certain cases. 

Bus conductors have been instructed to issue “zero value tickets” after checking identity documents until the smart card system becomes operational. 

Verification Drive for Annapurna Yojana 

At the same time, the State government has started verification work for the proposed Annapurna Yojana, which will replace the existing Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.  

Under the programme, eligible women aged between 25 and 60 years are expected to receive ₹3,000 per month through direct benefit transfer into Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. 

Government employees, pensioners, and income taxpayers will not be eligible for the scheme. District administrations have been directed to complete a beneficiary verification and database-cleansing exercise before the rollout.  

Officials have been asked to remove duplicate, shifted, deceased, and other ineligible entries from the beneficiary list. 

Door-to-Door Checks Underway 

Field-level verification is currently being conducted by gram panchayat staff, booth-level officers, and block officials in several districts.  

The government is also developing an online portal for fresh applications, corrections, and beneficiary authentication. 

According to official instructions, the verification exercise is scheduled to be completed by May 25, while the online application portal for new beneficiaries is expected to open from June 1, 2026. 

Read More: RBI Board Clears Historic ₹2.87 Lakh Crore Surplus Transfer in FY26! 

Conclusion  

Officials are conducting beneficiary verification and document checks across districts as the State prepares for the rollout of transport and welfare measures from June 1. 

For daily market updates and regular stock market news in Hindi, stay tuned to Angel One's share market news in Hindi. 

Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. This does not constitute a personal recommendation/investment advice. It does not aim to influence any individual or entity to make investment decisions. Recipients should conduct their own research and assessments to form an independent opinion about investment decisions.   
 
Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks, read all the related documents carefully before investing.