West Bengal is set to witness a major development push with the Centre and the state government announcing a series of infrastructure, employment, agriculture and welfare initiatives following the two-day visit by Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Addressing the media at the Nabanna, the state secretariat, Chouhan and Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the Centre’s focus would be on transforming Bengal’s infrastructure, boosting employment opportunities and modernising the agricultural sector.
Chouhan said the vision of a developed India could not be achieved without the progress of West Bengal and claimed that due to the alleged non-cooperation of the previous TMC government, projects worth Rs 82,492 crore across sectors including roads, national highways, railways, metro networks and gas pipelines had remained stalled. According to the Union Minister, the current government has resolved the pending legal and administrative hurdles within a few months, allowing these projects to move forward. He said the works would now begin on a priority basis to strengthen Bengal’s economic and social infrastructure.
The Central government also announced major allocations aimed at fulfilling the state government’s stated goal of ensuring employment, food security and housing for people. Under the new rural employment framework, workers will receive a guarantee of 125 days of employment instead of the earlier 100 days. The Centre has allocated Rs 8,508 crore till March 31, while the combined fund with the state’s contribution stands at Rs 12,064.50 crore.
The wage structure under the scheme has been fixed at Rs 300 per day for unskilled workers, Rs 450 for semi-skilled workers, and Rs 600 for skilled workers. In case of natural disasters such as drought-like situations, an additional 50 days of employment may be provided. Officials said 2.56 crore job cards have been identified under the programme.
Union Minister handed over approval for one lakh houses under the Awas Yojana to the state government even before the final beneficiary list was published. The deadline for verification of temporary houses has been extended from July 20 to August 15 due to the monsoon season. The government also announced financial support for women’s self-help groups. Under ‘Lakhpati Didi’ and ‘Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana’ initiatives, bank loans worth Rs 245 crore and a Community Investment Fund of Rs 50 crore have been released to promote self-reliance among around 80 lakh women associated with SHGs.
A major focus of the announcements was agricultural reform. A comprehensive ‘Agriculture Roadmap’ is being prepared with assistance from senior ICAR scientists to make West Bengal’s farming sector more scientific and self-reliant. Adhikari highlighted the state’s dependence on other regions for seeds, pointing out that jute seeds are sourced from Andhra Pradesh and potato seeds from Punjab despite Bengal being a major producer of both crops. To reduce this dependence, the Union Agriculture Ministry has decided to develop West Bengal as a major seed hub for eastern India. Hybrid maize and potato seeds will be produced within the state, with multiple Memorandums of Understanding already signed for the initiative.
An ICAR project worth Rs 100 crore has also been approved in Malda for producing saplings of mango, litchi, and other horticultural crops. The Chinsurah Rice Research Station in Hooghly will be upgraded into a Centre of Excellence, while Rs 26.88 crore has been allocated for creating digital identities and a Farmer Registry. Special village-level camps involving NABARD and banks will also be organised to issue Kisan Credit Cards and reduce farmers’ dependence on private lenders.
The Rural Development Ministry further announced that Rs 700 crore had been released to Bengal under MGNREGA in the last week of June. In addition, Rs 1,000 crore has been sanctioned in the first phase for constructing 2,400 kilometres of rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.
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