Women from Singur and Haripal were overwhelmed with joy after learning about the enhancement of the Lakshmir Bhandar allowance.
Under the revised structure, women in the general category will now receive Rs 1,500 per month, up from Rs 1,000, while SC/ST and similarly categorised women will receive Rs 1,700 per month, increased from Rs 1,200.
Women from Singur and Haripal had played a major role during the historic Singur Andolan. Thousands of women, under the leadership of Becharam Manna and Dr Karabi Manna, had taken to the streets protesting against alleged atrocities and brutality of the then Left Front government. Large number of women from these areas also joined Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her 26-day hunger strike under the open sky.
Soon after the announcement of the enhanced Lakshmir Bhandar amount, women in Singur and Haripal poured out of their homes carrying metal utensils and ladles, celebrating with green abir and smearing green colour.
Women including Jhilik Das, Mousami Koley, Papri Chatterjee, Sadhana Singha Roy, Chitra Basu, Lipika Nag, Shravani Ghosh and Shudha Maity said that Mamata Banerjee is compassionate and kind-hearted and understands the struggles of women in running a household. They said the enhanced Lakshmi Bhandar amount has brought great relief and will help them expand their small businesses.
Many women said that after completing household chores, they engage in cottage industries such as making paper packets, bamboo and coconut fibre products, and leaf-based items. The increased allowance, they said, would help them produce more goods, earn higher profits and better meet their families’ daily needs.