From handing Centre ‘Chicken’s Neck’ to Vande Mataram mandate: 11 key decisions in 12 days by Suvendu government | India News
The BJP government in West Bengal, within days of assuming office, introduced a series of high-impact administrative, welfare and governance decisions aimed at signaling a policy break from the previous Trinamool Congress rule. These measures spanned welfare restructuring, recruitment reforms, changes in reservation policy, caste certificate verification, educational guidelines and anti-corruption measures. The government has simultaneously tried to strengthen nationalist symbolism in institutions while tightening administrative oversight of welfare delivery and reservation systems. Many of the measures carry political and legal significance, especially those related to OBC reservation, verification of caste certificates and investigation into alleged corruption under their predecessors.
The ‘chicken’s neck’ corridor has moved to the center
The West Bengal government has approved the handover of seven major national highways in the Siliguri Corridor, known as the ‘Chicken’s Neck’, to central agencies, a move aimed at strengthening connectivity and facilitating rapid movement of armed forces through the strategically sensitive stretch connecting northeast India with the mainland.
Ayushman Bharat should be implemented
The newly formed BJP government in West Bengal announced the implementation of the Centre’s flagship Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme in its first cabinet meeting on May 11. Under Ayushman Bharat, eligible families get annual health insurance coverage of up to Rs 5 lakh for secondary and tertiary healthcare treatment at enrolled hospitals.West Bengal was previously excluded from centrally sponsored schemes under the Trinamool Congress government, which instead ran the Swasthya Sathi programme. The decision marks an important policy shift by aligning the state with one of the central government’s flagship welfare schemes. Besides Ayushman Bharat, the cabinet also discussed the implementation of other central schemes and administrative measures, including border fencing-related transfer of land to BSF and recruitment reforms.
Annapurna Yojana Replaced by Lakshmi Bhandar
The West Bengal government on Wednesday notified the Annapurna Yojana to replace the flagship Lakshmi Bhandar scheme launched under the previous TMC government. Under the new program, eligible women between the ages of 25 and 60 will get a monthly assistance of Rs 3,000 through direct transfer of benefits to an Aadhaar-linked bank account. The scheme excludes permanent government employees, pensioners and income tax payers. Existing Lakshmi Bhandar beneficiaries will be automatically transferred to the new scheme, though names identified as dead, transferred, duplicated or deleted during the voter verification exercise will be removed. The government has linked the scheme to the election verification process, making it politically significant. An online portal for fresh applications will be opened from June 1, where the District Magistrate and the Kolkata Civic Authority will be designated as sanctioning bodies for applicants.
Bande Mataram has been made compulsory in schools
The school education department, through a communication issued on May 13 and effective from May 18, has directed all state-run and state-aided schools to compulsorily sing Vande Matram in morning assemblies. School authorities were directed to ensure participation of all students and maintain video documentation as proof of compliance.The move adds the national anthem to the existing assembly practice where schools have traditionally only sung the national anthem, Jan Gana Man, and in recent years, the national song Bangla Mati Bangla Jal. The decision carries strong symbolic and ideological significance as the BJP government framed it as an attempt to strengthen patriotism and respect for national symbols. However, the move has sparked debate among teachers and sections of civil society over logistics of implementation and concerns about compulsion in educational institutions.
Transfer of land for India-Bangladesh border fencing
The West Bengal government on May 11 started the process of handing over land to the Union Home Ministry for the Border Security Force to fence the unfenced stretch of the India-Bangladesh border, the Chief Minister announced earlier this month.Announcing the decision after the new government’s first cabinet meeting, CM Subhendu Adhikari said the required land would be handed over within 45 days. The move comes amid prolonged judicial scrutiny over delays in border fencing projects in the state. According to information placed before the Supreme Court by the central government, about 435 km of border remains unfenced, more than 286 km is pending primarily due to land acquisition issues. The Calcutta High Court had also earlier this year directed the state to expedite the transfer of the acquired land to the BSF.
Revised OBC reservation for 66 communities
The government notified 66 communities under the Other Backward Classes category, restoring the 7 percent reservation structure following an order by the Calcutta High Court that quashed earlier TMC-era OBC notifications. The decision, officially announced on May 19 and publicly implemented on May 20, affects government jobs and educational admissions. The revised list includes several Muslim groups including Kurmi, Kapali, Teli, Yadav and Hajjam (Muslims), Paharia Muslims and Jolah (Ansari-Momin). The move is significant as it brings back the earlier 17 per cent reservation structure and aligns the state’s policy with the High Court directive that benefits already enjoyed by the affected groups should continue without any hindrance.
Free bus travel for women
The state cabinet on Monday approved free bus travel for women on state-run transport services. The move is being touted as a major women-centric welfare measure aimed at reducing daily commuting costs and increasing workforce participation. The project is expected to cover government-run buses across urban and rural routes. It was announced as part of the government’s first major welfare package after assuming office.
The age limit for government jobs has been increased
On May 18, the finance department officially raised the upper age limit for recruitment to state government posts by five years, fulfilling one of the BJP’s key promises to job seekers. Under the revised rules, the upper age limit for Group A posts is now 41 years, 44 years for Group B posts and 45 years for Group C and D posts. For recruitment through statutory bodies, public companies and local authorities, the age limit is uniformly fixed at 45 years. Existing relaxations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs and differently abled candidates will continue. The first recruitment process that will benefit from this decision is the ongoing recruitment of assistant professors in government-aided colleges, for which the application deadline will also be extended. The move is aimed at increasing employment opportunities for candidates who earlier crossed the age limit during delayed recruitment and deferred examination in the state.
Free bus travel for women
The West Bengal cabinet on Monday approved free bus travel for women on state transport services as part of a set of initial welfare measures announced after the new government took charge. The scheme will be applicable on government-run buses across urban and rural routes in the state. According to officials, the initiative is aimed at reducing the cost of commuting for women who depend on public transport for work, education and daily travel. The decision is expected to affect a large section of regular commuters, especially in Kolkata and district cities where state transport services form a large part of public mobility. The announcement came alongside other welfare measures, including the rollout of the Annapurna Yojana. Detailed operational guidelines and implementation procedures for transport projects are expected to be issued separately by the transport department.
Prosecution against Sandeep Ghosh is granted
The West Bengal government on May 19 allowed the trial of former RG Kar Medical College and Hospital principal Sandeep Ghosh on charges of alleged financial irregularities involving procurement and administrative practices during his tenure. The sanction was given under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act and Prevention of Money Laundering Act after examining the records of the FIR and investigation. The case gained national attention in 2024 after the rape and murder of a doctor at the hospital, which later triggered a massive investigation into alleged corruption within the institution. The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are probing the matter after the Calcutta High Court ordered a probe.
Re-verification of breed certificate issued since 2011
The West Bengal government has ordered a statewide re-verification of all caste certificates issued since 2011, the backward class welfare department issued a directive to district magistrates on May 15. The exercise covers around 1.69 crore Scheduled Castes, Tribes and OBC certificates, including those distributed through government camps in Duar during the previous TMC regime. The government has alleged large-scale irregularities and issuing fraudulent certificates over the past 15 years, with ministers claiming fake beneficiaries have illegally received savings and welfare benefits. Officials have been directed to scrutinize certificates and cancel certificates issued with false information or procedural irregularities.
Abolition of religion-based aid scheme
The new government also announced that several religion-specific welfare and grant schemes introduced during the TMC regime would be discontinued. While details are still emerging, BJP leaders said the move was aimed at ending what they described as “politics of appeasement” and moving towards religion-neutral welfare delivery. The decision is politically significant as it directly targets one of the BJP’s central campaign themes in Bengal.
