WB: BJP's first budget promises 20% DA hike for govt employees

The first-ever BJP government in West Bengal presented a Rs 4.38 lakh crore budget, hiking DA for employees by 20%. Other schemes include cash for women, unemployment allowance, and aid for female students, along with new IIT/IIM plans.

The BJP government in West Bengal presented its first-ever budget of Rs 4,38,775.29 crore (Net) for the financial year 2026-2027, along with several infrastructure projects and schemes. State Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta presented the budget for the first-ever BJP government in the state.

Key Welfare Schemes and Allowances

In line with the BJP's manifesto promise, the state government announced a 20 per cent hike in the Dearness Allowance (DA) for government employees. "The Dearness Allowance (DA) for government employees has been increased by 20 per cent, bringing the total DA to 38 per cent. This will come into effect from October 1," Dasgupta said in the Legislative Assembly.

Along with Rs 3,000 each to women under the Annapurna Scheme, the Finance Minister announced a one-time financial assistance of Rs 50,000 to unmarried female students to reduce the dropout rate of female students in higher education.

Among direct cash transfer schemes, the West Bengal government also proposed a Rs 3,000 monthly allowance for unemployed graduates in the age group of 21-45 years from October, and others will be given Rs 2,000 per month. Dasgupta said that the scheme will benefit "students whose family income is less than Rs 1 lakh per year and who are not receiving benefits from any existing social protection scheme."

Retired journalists will be provided with a monthly pension of Rs 5,000.

Education, Infrastructure and Development

As promised in the BJP's manifesto, the government proposed an IIT and an IIM in North Bengal with the assistance of the Centre.

For Falta, a seat which the party won in the repolling, Dagupta announced a plan to develop the area as a model.

"I am proposing the establishment of a plantation workers' union board. It will oversee various welfare projects for tea garden workers. A proposal has been put forward to increase the salary of Civic Volunteers, Village Police, and Green Police by 2,000 taka starting from August 2026," the Finance Minister said.

He said that the state government has initiated a techno-economic survey to launch metro connectivity in Durgapur, Asansol, Siliguri, and Jalpaiguri.

The Finance Minister proposed to transform Gangasagar Mela into an international, spiritual and cultural festival in collaboration with the Centre. Similarly, he said, Jagadhatri Puja, Tarakeshwar Mela, Baruni Mela, Rash Mela, Jalpesh Mela and other events will be transformed into national events.

Sectoral Allocations and Reforms

"I am initiating the process of making all government systems paperless," Dasgupta told the House.

The state government allocated Rs 8,565.84 crore to agriculture, Rs 2,544.48 crore to Backward class welfare, Rs 3,035.95 crore for disaster management and civil defence, and Rs 3,266.59 crore for Industry Commerce and Enterprises.

As the Suvendu Adhikari-led government presented its first budget, the file was made from traditional Bengali mats and jute. CM Suvendu Adhikari and Swapan Dasgupta also performed a puja before presenting the budget in the Assembly.

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