Presenting the first budget of the Bharatiya Janata Party government on Monday, the West Bengal government announced 100,000 government jobs, grants for women, unemployed youth, journalists and students, a new greenfield airport, five new districts and halved the minority affairs budget.
West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta placed ₹4,38,775.29 crore net budget for 2026-2027 in the Legislative Assembly, said the first BJP government in the state “envisions a state that is prosperous yet compassionate, modern yet rooted in tradition, globally competitive yet locally inclusive.”
Highlights of the budget – which Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari later described as “not a full budget but only for eight months” – included the promise of 100,000 government jobs, the allocation of ₹Rs 36,000 crore (monthly financial assistance) for Annapurna Yojana ₹Rs 3000 for women), and increase in salary for state bus conductors, civil police personnel, home guards, Asha workers, forest guards, Anganwadi workers and National Volunteer Force (NVF) personnel.
It also includes a 20% hike in dearness allowance (DA) for all state employees and teachers and has increased the local area development fund for MLAs. ₹from 70 lakhs ₹Rs 1 crore, among other measures. The increased DA, which is now 38%, will be effective from October 1, 2026 and 33% of government jobs will be reserved for women. Besides, the government will continue all the social welfare schemes started by the previous administration, Dasgupta said.
Dasgupta said, “Out of these 100,000 vacancies, 20,000 will be for police, 50,000 for teachers/professors and non-teaching staff, 1,000 for Eastern Frontier Rifles and the remaining for other government vacancies. Ten per cent of vacancies will be reserved for Agniveer, wherever applicable. The upper age limit for recruitment to government posts has already been relaxed by five years. This benefit will be available in the next two years.” Will be for years.” Said.
He said that Bengal is burdened with debt and central assistance will play an important role in this. “Our government has inherited a huge debt ₹Rs 8,15,891 crore as inheritance. This is potentially a serious debt. However, with the support of the Indian government and financial reforms, we will try to put it on a sustainable path,” he said.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) was enlisted to serve mid-day meals in schools where the organization has a presence.
After the presentation of the budget, the Chief Minister told the media, “ISKCON will be given charge of the mid-day meal. You can’t say Hare Krishna if you don’t want to, but the food will be nutritious. I can assure you of that.”
Compared to the interim budget for 2026-27 presented by the then-outgoing Trinamool Congress government in February, West Bengal’s total expenditure increased ₹₹32,691 crore or 8.3% in the full budget presented on Monday. The entire increase is in revenue expenditure, whose share is 79.9% compared to 78.2% in the interim budget. 73% of the increased expenditure compared to the interim budget is being financed by grants-in-aid from the central government and 37% of the increased expenditure is financed by the expected increase in the state’s own tax revenue.
Welfare allowances under social security schemes – called Seva Shakti in the Budget paper – figured prominently with the Finance Minister saying the new government aims to “build a developed Bangla as a vibrant part of developed India – a developed, secure, inclusive and future-ready West Bengal.”
To reduce the drop-out rate among girl students in higher education, Dasgupta announced a new scheme under which those seeking admission to undergraduate courses in government and government-aided colleges will get one-time assistance. ₹50,000 provided they are unmarried. ₹Rs 1,000 crore was allocated for this.
Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, which provides financial assistance ₹It was also announced to give Rs 21,000 to pregnant and lactating mothers. Also, $550 crore was allocated for free bus travel for women, as promised in the BJP’s election manifesto.
The state government will create new districts in Kolkata, Basirhat, Sunderbans, Jangipur and Arambag and a new sub-division at Gopiballavpur; New municipalities will be established in Shiv Mandir, Gazole, Chanchal, Belda, Bagnan, Jaigaon, Kolaghat, Kamarpukur and Tungidighi.
New airports will be set up in Purulia, Balurghat and Malda, while the existing airport in Cooch Behar will be expanded and the government will identify 1,000-1,500 acres of land near Kalyani to set up a new greenfield airport to ease pressure on the Kolkata airport.
In health infrastructure, an AIIMS will be set up in North Bengal, super-speciality hospitals will be set up in Sunderbans, Purulia and Darjeeling, a cancer hospital will be built in North Bengal, and Suri Super Specialty Hospital in Birbhum will be upgraded to a Government Medical College and Hospital.
“VB-G RAMG (Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) Developed India-Guarantee) is being implemented in the State. I propose the budget allocation ₹14,000 crores. Generation of 125 man days will be ensured for job card holders who comply with KYC norms, Dasgupta said.
Funds for housing schemes for the poor under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) were suspended during the last four years of the TMC rule due to alleged irregularities in allocation and expenditure. It resumed on Monday.
“For further expansion of PMAY-G in the current financial year, I propose the budgetary allocation ₹13,000 crores. Dasgupta said, affordable housing will be provided to 25 lakh new beneficiaries during this financial year.
Dasgupta announced the formation of Tea Workers Development Board to look into the poor health facilities, food insecurity, delayed salaries etc. of tea garden workers. He reduced the use of tea garden land for commercial purposes from 30% to 15%, citing the need to save the environment.
Dasgupta announced Pradhan Mantri Scheduled Caste Abhyudaya Yojana (PM-AJAY), a centrally sponsored scheme for the socio-economic upliftment of Scheduled Castes (SC).
Several schemes were also announced for the tribal areas where the BJP won the majority of seats. “A comprehensive livelihood improvement scheme is being implemented with the support of the Government of India for Jhargram district. In addition, Dharti Aaba Tribal Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan will be implemented in tribal villages of Paschimanchal districts,” Dasgupta said.
The budget was earmarked as Construction Power for infrastructure development.
“The Center is supporting State Governments for infrastructure projects through the Scheme of Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI). This will be effectively implemented to get more fiscal space for infrastructure creation. Additionally, our Government is also supporting the State Government in improving public finances, IT infrastructure, mining sector reforms, implementation of right of way rules under the Telecom Act, 2023, digital public infrastructure for agriculture, livestock sector reforms and efficiency in financial management. Will ensure compliance with all reform initiatives as envisaged in the SASCI Guidelines 2026-2027,” Dasgupta said.
“This will enable our state to claim financial assistance of approximately ₹Rs 10,000 crore from the Government of India to undertake capital intensive projects. “To promote urban growth beyond metros and develop Tier-II, Tier-III cities as future engines of growth, the City Economic Region (CER) scheme will be implemented to create core infrastructure, accommodation and hospitality networks,” he said.
Bengal was also brought under the Centre’s Purvodaya scheme, a comprehensive central initiative for eastern India.
“A holistic plan for West Bengal will be developed for funding under this scheme. This will include expansion of industrial corridors, manufacturing hubs and tourism infrastructure,” he said.
Dasgupta also focused on some of the famous sites of Hindu pilgrimage.
He said, “Our government, in collaboration with the Government of India, will endeavor to transform the Gangasagar Mela into an international spiritual and cultural festival. Similarly, Jagaddhatri Puja, Tarakeshwar Mela, Baruni Mela, Raas Mela, Jalpesh Mela and other similar events will be transformed into national events.”
