Kolkata: The BJP-led government in West Bengal on Monday presented its first state budget since coming to power, announcing a series of major welfare, employment and administrative measures. Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta tabled the budget in the Assembly in the presence of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, outlining the government’s plans to generate employment, increase benefits for state employees and implement key policy reforms.
One of the most significant announcements in the budget was the creation of 100,000 government jobs across various departments. According to the government, the recruitment drive will include 20,000 police positions and 50,000 teaching and non-teaching posts. The administration also announced that 33 per cent of the new jobs will be reserved for women, while Agniveers will receive 10 per cent reservation in the recruitment process.
The government further sought to address long-standing demands from state employees by announcing a substantial increase in Dearness Allowance (DA). Effective from October 1, the DA rate for government employees will rise from 18 per cent to 38 per cent, providing a significant boost to salaries and pensions.
In a major welfare initiative focused on women, the government allocated ₹36,000 crore for the Annapurna Yojana, a scheme aimed at providing financial and social support to women across the state. Additionally, the budget proposed a monthly allowance of ₹3,000 for unemployed individuals, reflecting the administration’s focus on social welfare and employment support.
The budget also revealed a notable restructuring of expenditure priorities. Funding for the Minority Welfare and Madrasa departments has been reduced from ₹5,713 crore to ₹2,165.42 crore. The government stated that resources would be redirected toward broader development and governance objectives.
Presenting the financial roadmap, the BJP government said it inherited a debt burden of approximately ₹8.15 lakh crore from the previous TMC administration. Despite the fiscal challenges, the government pledged to pursue administrative reforms, improve financial discipline and establish a corruption-free governance framework.
The budget comes amid a series of policy decisions taken by the BJP government since assuming office after the Assembly elections. The party secured a decisive victory, winning 207 of the 294 seats in the state legislature and forming a government in West Bengal for the first time. Suvendu Adhikari subsequently took oath as Chief Minister.
Among the key decisions announced by the government is the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) process in the state. The administration said eligible individuals from seven specified communities who entered India before December 31, 2024, would be able to avail benefits under the law.
The government has also implemented the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, which provides eligible families with free medical treatment coverage of up to ₹5 lakh. Additionally, a long-pending state census process is set to begin after the previous administration allegedly failed to act on directives issued by the Union Home Ministry.
In another notable move, the state government recently made the singing of “Vande Mataram” mandatory in all government-run, government-aided and unaided madrasas under the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department. Institutions have been instructed to implement the order immediately and submit compliance reports to the department.
Other decisions include granting five years’ age relaxation for candidates preparing for government recruitment examinations, permitting state civil service officers to participate in central government training programmes, implementing the country’s new criminal laws, extending assistance to families of BJP workers killed during the 2021 post-election violence, and taking steps to regulate cattle slaughter through certification requirements.
