One month of BJP govt in West Bengal: Bulldozers, benefits and a border blitz (original) (raw)
Bengal's new BJP government, led by CM Suvendu Adhikari, has swiftly implemented welfare schemes like Annapurna Yojana and Ayushman Bharat.
From Annapurna Yojana to border fencing, crackdowns on TMC leaders to mandatory Vande Mataram — here is what Bengal's first BJP government has done in its first 30 daysExactly one month since CM Suvendu Adhikari was sworn in, Bengal's first BJP government has moved at a pace that has left both supporters and critics struggling to keep up.
From its very first cabinet meeting, the new administration signalled it intended to govern differently — and on nearly every front, it has.The twin themes running through the BJP's first month are delivery and disruption: Delivering on welfare promises made during the campaign, while disrupting the political and administrative structures built by Trinamool Congress over 14 years.
Key decisions and initiatives in the first month
Ayushman BharatThe scheme aims at providing cashless hospitalisation coverage of Rs 5,00,000 per family per year for secondary and tertiary healthcare services. Though the scheme was implemented across India, Bengal was not a part of it.The BJP govt in Bengal, in its first cabinet meeting, decided to implement Ayushman Bharat in the state. CM Suvendu Adhikari said that the Ayushman Bharat scheme would be launched in the state in July, and more than six crore residents who were previously enrolled in the state-run Swasthya Sathi programme will be covered.Land for border fencing, setting up holding centres and pushing back illegal immigrantsOut of the state’s total 2,217 km border with Bangladesh, roughly 1,600 km has already been fenced.
The Centre had alleged that the previous Trinamool govt did not provide the land to the BSF for border fencing.The BJP govt, in its first cabinet meeting, decided that all pending land transfers required for border fencing be completed within a strict 45-day timeframe to remove administrative bottlenecks and expedite the completion of the India–Bangladesh border fence.
Following MHA guidelines, the state govt also initiated an aggressive drive to track down undocumented foreign nationals and set up holding centres.
Around 32 acres have been handed over to the BSF by the state govt for fencing along the India–Bangladesh border.Eleven holding centres are already operational in the state; 4,800 illegal migrants have been pushed back to Bangladesh, and 836 have been housed in holding centres.Annapurna YojanaThe BJP, in its election manifesto, promised Annapurna Yojana to provide monthly financial assistance of Rs 3,000 to eligible women. The state cabinet on May 18 approved its rollout, providing financial assistance to women aged 25 to 60 from June 1.Employees and pensioners of govt and govt-aided institutions, and income taxpayers, are not eligible for this scheme. On June 1, the govt launched the online application process. The offline form-filling process has already begun.The application window will remain open for 90 days. Over 28 lakh women have already received Rs 3,000 each as of June 3. Old-age, widow, and disability pensions have also been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per month, effective June 1.DemolitionsThe demolition drive started in the city on May 7 when a bolldozer reportedly rolled into Bertram Street and Hogg Market area during post-poll victory rallies. On May 14, the civic body initiated the demolition of two illegal buildings at Tiljala's GJKhan Road in the wake of a fire incident that killed three workers.Following the HC’s stay order, the demolition was paused midway. Almost 10 days later, two more buildings were also razed while several others were issued the demolition notice in the same area.
Two under-construction buildings were also pulled down at Kasba and Beleghata.
The second week of May saw hawker eviction drives at Howrah and Sealdah stations. On May 31, about 200 stalls were demolished at Dum Dum station. A similar anti-encroachment drive was conducted at Jadavpur station. Between Sunday night and Monday, a similar anti-encroachment drive was conducted on the precincts of Jadavpur station, where about 35-40 illegal structures were pulled down.Implementation of all centrally sponsored schemesThe BJP, in its election manifesto, promised to implement all major centrally sponsored schemes in Bengal if they win the elections.The BJP govt in Bengal, in its first cabinet meeting, decided to implement all these schemes — like PM Shri Schools, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, PM Vishwakarma, Ujjwala Yojana, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and PM Surya Ghar.The authorities have stated that beneficiary verification mechanisms will be strengthened to ensure that welfare benefits reach eligible recipients in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.Revision of upper age limit for govt jobsThe BJP, in its election manifesto, promised a five-year extension of the age limit for state govt jobs. The BJP govt has revised the upper age limit for entry into state govt jobs — 41 years for Group A, 44 for Group B and 45 years for Group C and Group D posts.7th Pay CommissionThe 7th Pay Commission for state govt employees is one of the electoral promises of the BJP. The state govt, in its second cabinet meeting, decided to constitute the 7th Pay Commission.
The notification for setting up the Commission has not been issued.Vande mataram at schoolsThe state govt has mandated the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ during school assembly prayers before the commencement of classes in all schools under the school education department across Bengal.The department issued an order on May 14 making the singing of ‘Vande Mataram’ mandatory in all govt-run and govt-aided schools, replacing earlier practices followed by institutions.The directive requires students and staff to sing the song before the start of classes each day, and it supersedes previous guidelines that included the state song ‘Banglar Mati Banglar Jol’ as part of morning routines.In a parallel move, the directorate of madrasa education released an official notification extending the same requirement to all recognised aided and unaided madrasas, govt model madrasas, and other Islamic educational institutions.The madrasa notification aligns morning assembly procedures with the new education department order, specifying that ‘Vande Mataram’ must be sung ahead of classroom instruction.The chief minister also requested private schools to include this. State schools and madrasas reopened on June 1 after the summer vacation, and the morning assemblies started with ‘Vande Mataram’ as the first song and the national anthem as the second or final song.Discontinuing religious allowanceThe honorarium for imams and muezzins was introduced by the former Trinamool govt in 2012. Financial assistance for purohits was launched in Sept 2020. Under the scheme, imams received a monthly honorarium of Rs 3,000, while muezzins and purohits received Rs 2,000 each.On May 18, the state govt announced it would discontinue assistance schemes based on religion, and that the funds would be utilised for providing scholarships to students from economically weaker sections.
Monthly financial assistance provided by the state govt to imams, muezzins, and Hindu priests was discontinued from June, with beneficiaries receiving their last payments in May.No-spill policy for religious eventsThe BJP govt has reportedly directed the authorities to restrict religious events on roads and streets, stating that these should be held within religious premises. The decision has been linked by political commentators to earlier controversies and court observations on large public prayers, including those on Kolkata’s Red Road, which has been shifted to the Brigade Parade Ground.Free bus travel for womenFree travel on state-operated buses for women is one of the electoral promises made by the BJP. The state govt had decided that beginning June 1, women across the state would be entitled to free travel on state-operated buses. The scheme has been implemented with women getting zero-value tickets to avail of the service. The govt will provide digital smart cards later.
OBC quota revisionBefore the Trinamool Congress came to power, Bengal had 7% OBC reservations.
During the Trinamool era, the OBC reservation quota was raised to 17%, with several Muslim communities included on the OBC list. The BJP govt has announced that it will cut the OBC reservation from 17% to 7%, citing compliance with a Calcutta High Court order that regularised 66 communities listed as OBC before 2010.The notification issued by the backward classes welfare department is expected to have a significant impact on recruitment policies across govt departments, public sector undertakings, and other state-run bodies, many of which had kept recruitments on hold because of the legal uncertainty surrounding the reservation structure.Janatar DarbarFulfilling an earlier promise, CM Suvendu Adhikari on May 18 launched the ‘Janatar Darbar’ programme to directly hear grievances from citizens. The initiative was held at the BJP’s state headquarters in Salt Lake shortly after the party formally announced the programme in the morning. Several people met the CM individually and presented their problems during closed-door interactions.
Three ‘Janatar Darbar’ programmes have been organised so far.
Attending a darbar, an 81-year-old Bhowanipore resident complained to CM Adhikari that he was allegedly cheated of his property by a promoter, now in ED custody, and threatened at gunpoint. At another darbar, a disabled man travelled from Gosaba for five days to ask for a ‘room under a roof’, enrolment of his wife in the Annapurna Yojana scheme and a battery-operated cycle from the CM.Biswa Bangla logo replacedThe Trinamool govt had introduced the “Biswa Bangla” logo across all official communications.
The BJP govt announced it would replace the “Biswa Bangla” logo with the national Ashoka Emblem across official communications.The change is being implemented on govt websites, letterheads, files, signage, and other stationery, along with branding on public infrastructure. Departments have been directed to standardise the emblem’s use to ensure uniformity in government identity and compliance with prescribed formats.Trinamool arrestsThe new BJP govtt, following Modi’s dictum “Chun chun ke hisab liya jayega”, has seen major Trinamool seniors arrested — eight from the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and six from Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation on charges of extortion and criminal intimidation.The BJP govt in Bengal has launched a statewide crackdown on the ‘syndicate raj’, illegal encroachment, and extortion. Former MLAs Sujit Bose, Saokat Molla and Jahangir Khan were also arrested.
The crackdown resulted in over 200 FIRs across the state. Former minister Bose was arrested by the ED in connection with an ongoing municipal recruitment scam investigation.Former MLA Saokat Molla was arrested by the NIA, while another MLA, Jahangir Khan, nicknamed ‘Pushpa’, was arrested by the STF, which tracked him near the India–Nepal border, allegedly while he was trying to flee the country.Several other TMC functionaries across the state were arrested by the police during this period, and many of them were paraded through their localities before being taken into custody.
An FIR was registered at the Siliguri Cyber Crime Police Station against former CM Mamata Banerjee due to sensitive remarks.Ban on illegal cattle slaughterThe state govt issued a strict enforcement directive on May 13 regarding the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act to crack down on unauthorised trade and illegal slaughterhouses.The govt stated that the fitness certificate will only be issued by the chairperson of any municipality or the president of any panchayat samiti, jointly with a govt veterinary officer, after both agree in writing that the animal is over 14 years of age— rendering it unfit for work or breeding purposes— or that the animal has become permanently incapacitated due to old age, injury, deformity, or any other incurable disease.
The government also banned public slaughterhouses.Maa AharThe state govt will soon serve fish-and-rice lunch twice a week at a subsidised rate of Rs 5 under the Maa Ahar scheme. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on May 26 announced that cooked meals for poor and needy citizens of the state will be served by urban local bodies in common kitchens.Egg-and-rice meals will be served twice a week, and a vegetarian lunch on the remaining two days.
Maa Ahar will remain closed on Sundays.Apnar Sarkar Apnar PasheOn June 4, the state govt introduced Apnar Sarkar Apnar Pashe, through which people of Bengal can have a direct connection with the Chief Minister’s Office if they face any problem in availing govt services.The CM unveiled the helpline 8282082820. The helpline is operational from 9 am to 6 pm, Monday to Saturday. The initiative is aimed at assisting beneficiaries of direct govt schemes. People can also email at asap@wb.gov.in.(Text by Kaushik Pradhan, Poulami Roy Banerjee & Sarthak Ganguly)