West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Thursday, 17 September 2026, announced that all houses constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in the state will henceforth be registered exclusively in the names of women members of the respective families. The declaration, made at the Annapurna Day event in Salt Lake, Kolkata, underscores the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government's stated focus on women's empowerment.

Key Announcement on PMAY Registration

'A list has been prepared for the construction of more than 50 lakh new houses in West Bengal. These houses will be registered in the names of women members of the families. All these houses will be owned by women. Agreements will be made in their names. We will make women the owners of the houses under the PMAY scheme. This will mark our commitment towards ensuring women empowerment in the state,' CM Adhikari said.

The move signals a structural shift in how PMAY assets are titled in the state, directly placing property ownership with women rather than male heads of household — a step that housing and gender policy experts have long advocated as a lever for financial security.

Annapurna Yojana: Fourth Instalment Rolled Out

Chief Minister Adhikari also announced the fourth instalment of the Annapurna Yojana scheme at the same event. He said money had already been credited to the accounts of more than 1.5 crore women, with the remaining eligible recipients to receive their transfers throughout the day. The scheme provides ₹3,000 per month directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries.

The event was held on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, and Modi addressed the gathering virtually. 'The mothers and sisters of West Bengal played an important role in the transformation that took place in West Bengal on May 4 after the Assembly election results. So, the first test of the new BJP government in this state was the development of women. Our motto is talk less and act more. The Annapurna Yojana started with that thought,' the Prime Minister said.

Modi also assured beneficiaries that no 'commission' or 'cut-money' is required to receive funds — a pointed reference to allegations of middlemen and unofficial levies that had dogged welfare delivery in the state under previous administrations.

Broader Women's Safety Agenda

Beyond property rights and financial transfers, CM Adhikari outlined several other measures his government has taken in its first four months in office. He said a commission has been formed to investigate atrocities committed against women in the state. 'Not a single event of crime against women will be taken lightly. This is our commitment,' he said.

The Chief Minister also stated that the government is strictly addressing instances of child marriages and pregnancies among girls below the age of 18 — issues that have persisted in several districts of West Bengal. He stressed that the government's goal is not merely to provide financial support, but to achieve meaningful development and empowerment of women in the state.

Political and Policy Context

The BJP came to power in West Bengal following the May 2026 Assembly election results, ending the long run of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC). The Annapurna Day event, timed to coincide with PM Modi's birthday, served as a high-visibility platform for the new administration to showcase early deliverables.

Notably, the decision to register PMAY homes in women's names mirrors policies adopted in several BJP-governed states, including Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, where similar provisions have been credited with improving women's collateral access for credit. Whether the West Bengal model includes joint registration or sole ownership remains to be formally clarified by the state government.

The state government is expected to release implementation guidelines for the new PMAY registration policy in the coming weeks, with the 50 lakh houses pipeline set to be the largest housing programme undertaken in West Bengal in recent memory.