West Bengal Budget 2026: Swapan Dasgupta's Traditional 'Madurkathi' File Steals The Show

Taking a leaf out of Nirmala Sitharaman's book, Bengal's Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta arrived at the Assembly with a special file made of traditional Madurkathi and jute.

Bengal's Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta is all set to present the first full budget of the state's BJP government. And he's making sure to do it with a touch of local tradition, much like Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Dasgupta arrived at the Assembly carrying a unique file made from Bengal's own Madurkathi and jute.

Before leaving home, Dasgupta said he would try to fulfil the wishes of the people of Bengal, promising a budget that blends the new with the old.

Swapan Dasgupta's Budget

At the Assembly, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had a small ceremony waiting for him. Dasgupta was seen performing a puja, even ringing a bell and doing the aarti. Afterwards, Suvendu fed him some sweet curd, or 'mishti doi', which is considered a very auspicious start for any new venture in Bengal. The BJP is calling this the people's "dream budget".

According to sources in the Assembly, the Finance Minister is scheduled to have a meeting with CM Suvendu Adhikari right before presenting the budget. There's a lot of buzz and high expectations, especially among government employees. State minister Agnimitra Paul has assured that no one will be disappointed with the budget.

Both Suvendu Adhikari and Swapan Dasgupta had earlier stated that the budget would be completely people-focused. It is expected to lay out a roadmap for key issues like Dearness Allowance (DA), industrialisation, recruitment, and infrastructure development. Many believe it could also contain a major plan to attract new industries to the state. Dasgupta himself had previously clarified that their government is not anti-industry, so a big push for the industrial sector is on the cards.

Just before the budget speech, all eyes were on his unique file. It was specially crafted from jute and Madurkathi, a type of local grass mat. The file, which holds all the budget documents, is a beautiful tribute to Bengal's roots. It features a neat semi-circular design made of Madurkathi, with the Ashoka Stambha proudly displayed on the right. This blend of two of the state's traditional industries is being seen as a strong message of heritage, handicraft, and self-reliance.