Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the development of West Bengal is essential for achieving the vision of a “Viksit Bharat”.
The senior BJP leaders also emphasised that the Centre and the state would work together under a “double-engine” government to accelerate growth.
In a major announcement under the “Viksit Bharat Ji Ramji” programme, the Centre has allocated Rs 8,508 crore for the scheme until March 31, with the total fund, including the state’s contribution, reaching Rs 12,064.5 crore which will not only guarantee 125 days of employment instead of 100 but may provide additional 50 days of employment in the event of natural disasters such as drought or El Niño.
It was a pleasure to welcome Hon'ble Union Agriculture Minister; Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan Ji to Kolkata for a comprehensive review of our State’s Agricultural and Rural Development roadmap.
Our discussions today mark a significant milestone in the journey of West Bengal’s… pic.twitter.com/4z0mMWh3I0— Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) July 14, 2026
Daily wages have been fixed at Rs 300 for unskilled workers, Rs 450 for semi-skilled workers and Rs 600 for skilled workers.
Alleging that projects worth Rs 82,492 crore, including those related to roads, national highways, railways, metro connectivity and gas pipelines, had remained stalled due to the alleged lack of cooperation from the previous state government, the union minister said, “The present government has cleared all legal and administrative hurdles within a few months, allowing work on these projects to resume at a fast pace.”
The Centre approved one lakh houses under the housing scheme even before the final beneficiary list is prepared. The deadline for verification of eligible beneficiaries has been extended from July 20 to August 15 due to the monsoon season.
The Centre has also announced financial support for women’s self-help groups. Under the Lakhpati Didi and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana programmes, Rs 245 crore in bank loans and Rs 50 crore under the Community Investment Fund have been released to support nearly 80 lakh women associated with self-help groups across the state.
In the agriculture sector, the government unveiled plans to transform West Bengal into the seed hub of eastern India.
“It is surprising that despite being a major producer of jute and potatoes, West Bengal continued to depend on Andhra Pradesh for jute seeds and Punjab for potato seeds. To address this, the Centre has decided to promote the production of hybrid maize and potato seeds within the state, and several Memorandums of Understanding have already been signed,” the chief minister said.
The Centre has also approved a Rs 100-crore ICAR project in Malda for the production of mango, litchi and horticultural saplings.
The Chinsurah Rice Research Station in Hooghly will be upgraded into an international-standard Centre of Excellence.
Additionally, Rs 26.88 crore has been sanctioned under the digital agriculture mission to develop digital farmer identities, while special camps involving NABARD and banks will be organised to issue Kisan Credit Cards to farmers.
The Union Rural Development Ministry also announced that Rs 700 crore had already been released to the state under VB-G RAM-G scheme in the last week of June.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Rs 1,000 crore has been sanctioned in the first phase for the construction of 2,400 kilometres of rural roads across West Bengal.
Earlier in the meeting, the Chief Minister announced an increase in the daily allocation for primary school mid-day meals from Rs 6.78 to Rs 10 with effect from August 1.
He also said that ISKCON would jointly oversee the distribution of nutritious meals in Kolkata and surrounding urban areas.
“The centre would leave no stone unturned in supporting the state. The Centre and the state would work together to make West Bengal the country’s leading state in development and progress,” Chouhan said.