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Introduction
The BJP government in West Bengal on Monday, June 22, 2026, presented its first full-fledged state budget — the 2026-27 Budget — marking a historic shift after 15 years of Trinamool Congress rule. Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta tabled the budget in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's leadership, outlining an ambitious roadmap covering employment, women's welfare, infrastructure, education, technology, and fiscal discipline. The budget came less than two months after the BJP's landmark electoral victory in the state. Before presenting the budget, Finance Minister Dasgupta and Chief Minister Adhikari participated in a prayer ceremony at the Assembly premises. "We have prepared this budget drawing inspiration from awakened national strength," the finance minister said. Key Headline: 20% DA Hike for State Government Employees One of the most politically significant announcements of the West Bengal Budget 2026 was a 20 percentage point hike in Dearness Allowance (DA) for state government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners.- DA will rise from 18% to 38%, effective from October 1, 2026
- This move significantly narrows the long-standing gap between state and central government employees
- The hike reduces the DA difference between state and central employees by 22 percentage points
- 50,000 teaching and non-teaching posts in government schools
- 20,000 posts in the police force
- 33% of all appointments reserved for women
- 10% reservation for Agniveers wherever applicable
- The upper age relaxation of 5 years for government recruitment will continue for the next two years
- Free travel on government buses for all women — a dedicated Pink Card system will be introduced for beneficiaries
- Rs 550 crore earmarked specifically for the free bus travel scheme
- Rs 36,000 crore allocated for the Annapurna Yojana, a financial assistance scheme for women aged between 25 and 60 years — funds to be deposited directly into their bank accounts
- Durga Suraksha Squads — consisting of women police personnel — to be deployed in busy city areas and public places
- Every sub-division in Bengal will have a dedicated Women's Police Station
- Every police station to have a Women's Help Desk
- Dial 112 emergency helpline service to be launched
- A new police district to be created in Kanthi
- New municipalities and fire stations to be opened across the state
- 20,000 police posts to be filled as part of the recruitment drive
- 1,000 acres to be identified in Kalyani for a greenfield airport to ease congestion at Kolkata airport
- New airports for Purulia, Balurghat, and Malda under the Centre's UDAAN scheme
- Cooch Behar airport to be expanded
- Rs 900 crore allocated for the Chingrighata–New Town elevated corridor in Kolkata
- Rs 1,200 crore for a new bridge over the Bhagirathi River
- An integrated deep-sea port to be established at Dadanpatrabar in Purba Medinipur
- A four-lane bridge over the Mayurakshi River in Birbhum
- Metro rail project feasibility studies for Durgapur, Asansol, and Siliguri
- New IIT and IIM to be established in North Bengal
- A Tribal University to be set up in Jhargram
- A new Sports University to be established; North Bengal to get a new stadium
- Clubs participating in national games to receive Rs 1 crore each
- Rs 2,100 crore allocated for PM Shri Schools across the state
- Rs 50 crore earmarked for upgrading Sanskrit College
- Mid-day meal allocation per student raised to Rs 10; ISKCON to assist in food preparation and distribution
| Worker Category | Monthly Hike |
| Anganwadi & ASHA Workers | + Rs 5,000 |
| Para-teachers in government schools | + Rs 5,000 |
| Mid-day meal cooks | + Rs 1,000 |
| Civic police, Home Guards, Green Police, NVF, Prani Bandhu/Mitra | + Rs 2,000 (from August) |
- All existing social welfare schemes will continue under the new government
- The Maa Aahar scheme (subsidised meals) to be expanded with new centres in urban areas — meals including fish and rice will be served at subsidised rates
- The 125-day VB G-Ram-G scheme has seen increased allocation with 25 lakh new beneficiaries to be added
- Citizens can access government help through a new initiative called "Your Government, By Your Side" (aapki sarkar, aapke dwar)
- Retired journalists to receive a monthly pension of Rs 5,000
- Individuals who were jailed for political or false cases to receive monthly assistance of Rs 10,000
- Launch of the Bengal AI Mission to promote technology, innovation, and digital growth
- Digitisation of land records under the Digital India framework
- Special facilities — including free charging points and drinking water — for gig workers
- To increase revenue without imposing additional taxes
- Focus on fiscal discipline and transparent governance
- Build a corruption-free administrative structure
- Align state goals with the national mission of "Viksit Bharat" through a "Viksit Bengal" vision
| Announcement | Detail |
| DA Hike | 18% → 38% (effective Oct 1, 2026) |
| Government Jobs | 1 lakh vacancies to be filled |
| Women's Bus Travel | Free; Pink Card; Rs 550 crore allocated |
| Annapurna Yojana | Rs 36,000 crore allocation |
| Police Recruitment | 20,000 posts |
| Teaching Posts | 50,000 posts |
| New IIT/IIM | North Bengal |
| Tribal University | Jhargram |
| New Airport | Kalyani (greenfield); Purulia, Balurghat, Malda (UDAAN) |
| Deep-sea Port | Dadanpatrabar, Purba Medinipur |
| Anganwadi/ASHA Hike | + Rs 5,000/month |
| Bengal AI Mission | Launched |
| State Debt | Rs 8.15 lakh crore (inherited) |
| MLA Fund | Rs 70 lakh → Rs 1 crore |
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