West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday strongly defended the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s first full-fledged state budget in the eastern state, asserting that it was comprehensive and left little room for criticism from the Opposition.
In a press conference at the assembly after the presentation of the state budget by state finance minister Swapan Dasgupta, Adhikari said the government had made every effort to address key sectors despite having only eight months to prepare its financial roadmap.
“There is nothing left in the Budget that remains uncovered and on which the Opposition can raise questions. Moreover, this is essentially an eight-month Budget, not a 12-month one, as we did not get sufficient time to prepare a full-fledged annual Budget,” the Chief Minister said.
Claiming that the state budget reflected the government’s commitment to balanced development and welfare, Adhikari said his administration would focus on creating a conducive atmosphere for investment and industrial growth in the state.
Adhikari alleged that corruption, including the “cut-money culture” and extortion, had adversely affected industrialisation in West Bengal over the years and discouraged investors from bringing capital into the state.
“We must create an environment where investors feel confident about investing in Bengal. Corruption and extortion had acted as barriers to industrial growth and employment generation,” he said.
The Chief Minister also announced the launch of the ‘Bharsa’ scheme aimed at providing financial assistance to unemployed youth. The scheme is scheduled to come into effect from October this year. Under the initiative, unemployed graduates between the ages of 21 and 45 will receive a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000, while non-graduates in the same age group will be entitled to Rs 2,000 per month.
However, the benefit will be restricted to individuals belonging to families with an annual income below Rs 1 lakh and who are not already covered under any other government social welfare scheme.
In a major announcement for higher education, Adhikari said the government had decided to introduce a one-time financial assistance of Rs 50,000 for girl students in colleges. The measure, he said, was aimed at reducing dropout rates among female students and encouraging them to continue their education.
The Chief Minister further stated that his government would place greater emphasis on strengthening infrastructure in primary and upper primary schools across the state. As part of the initiative, ceiling fans would be installed on a priority basis in schools where such facilities are still unavailable.
Adhikari said the move was intended to improve the learning environment for students, particularly during the summer months. Highlighting the government’s focus on healthcare, Adhikari announced a significant increase in the diet allowance for patients admitted to government-run hospitals. The daily diet charge, which was previously fixed at Rs 56 for three meals, has now been raised to Rs 110 with immediate effect.
“We have taken this decision to ensure that patients receive nutritious and quality food during their stay in hospitals,” he said.
The Chief Minister also announced that the government had undertaken a new project to ensure 100 per cent LPG-based cooking for mid-day meals in schools across the state.
Additionally, the allocation towards mid-day meals has been enhanced from Rs 6.50 to Rs 10 per student, reflecting the government’s intention to improve nutritional standards among schoolchildren.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Kunal Ghosh said the Opposition was willing to give the new government some time. However, he remarked that while former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had often spoken of an “Atmanirbhar” or self-reliant Budget, the present state budget appeared to be heavily dependent on support from the Centre.