Bengal Budget 2026: One lakh jobs, 20% DA hike, ₹36,000-Cr for Annapurna Yojana among key highlights
In its interim budget earlier this year, the previous TMC government had estimated expenditure of ₹4.06 lakh crore, of which ₹1.68 lakh crore, or 41.4%, was earmarked for the social sector.
West Bengal Finance Minister, Swapan Dasgupta on 22 June presented the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s first full budget in the state assembly.
‘Our government's mission is to restore state’s glory, build Viksit Bengal as part of Viksit Bharat,’ Dasgupta said in assembly as he allocated ₹36,000 crore for women’s financial assistance scheme Annapurna Yojana.
In its interim Budget earlier this year, the previous TMC government had estimated expenditure of ₹4.06 lakh crore, of which ₹1.68 lakh crore, or 41.4%, was earmarked for the social sector.
The state’s outstanding debt is estimated at over ₹7.5 lakh crore, with the debt-to-GSDP ratio hovering around 38%, among the highest for major States. Interest payments alone account for nearly ₹49,000 crore annually, constraining the State’s fiscal space, according to news agency PTI.
Dasgupta also announced a 20 percentage point hike in dearness allowance (DA), providing a significant salary boost for lakhs of state government employees and pensioners. With the latest revision, the total DA payable to state government employees will rise to 38 per cent, with the new rate becoming effective from October 1.
Here are key highlights from the West Bengal Budget 2026-27
-Government to recruit one lakh people for various vacant posts and reserve 33 per cent of the posts for women candidates. Government to fill 20,000 seats in the state police force.
₹3000 per month for unemployed youth under Bhorsa Karmasathi scheme.
-Salary of Asha workers under ICDS scheme hiked by ₹5000 per month, and salary of civic volunteers and civil police hiked by ₹2,000 per month.
-DA for govt employees will be raised by 20 per cent from October.
-Girl students of State govt and govt-aided schools will be granted a scholarship of ₹50,000.
-MLA local area development funds to be raised from annual ₹70 lakh to ₹1 crore.
- ₹36,000 crore for women’s financial assistance scheme Annapurna Yojana.
- ₹550 crore will be allocated for the free bus scheme for women. The government will also soon grant women a ‘Pink Card’.
-Government to allocate land to build a new greenfield airport near Kolkata.
-An integrated deep sea port will be set up at Dadanpatrabarh in Purba Medinipur.
-Government to allocate land to build Navodaya Vidyalayas in the State.
-The state government will also establish new women's colleges. Sanitary vending machines will be set up at colleges.
-Cook-cum-helpers working for PM POSHAN Scheme will get a raise of ₹1000 in their honorarium.
-State government to examine the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act (ULCRA), 1976 to attract investement.
-State government to allocate ₹14,000 crore for providing jobs under VB-G RAM G scheme.
(With PTI inputs)
About the Author
Gulam Jeelani is Political Desk Editor at LiveMint with over 16 years of experience covering national and international politics. Based in New Delhi, Jeelani delivers impactful political narratives through breaking stories, in-depth interviews, and analytical pieces at LiveMint since February 2024. The expertise in video production fuels his current responsibilities, which include curating content and conducting video interviews for an expanding digital audience.<br><br> Jeelani also travels during elections and key political events and has covered assembly elections in key states apart from national elections. He has previously worked with The Pioneer, Network18, India Today, News9Plus and Hindustan Times.<br><br> Jeelani’s tenure at LiveMint and previous experience at print and digital newsrooms have honed his skills in creating compelling text and video stories, explainers, and analysis that resonate with a diverse viewership.<br><br> Before moving to New Delhi in 2015, Jeelani was based in Uttar Pradesh, where he worked for five years as a reporter. In 2018, Jeelani was one of the two Indian journalists selected for the Alfred Friendly Fellowship in the US. There, he attended training workshops on reporting and data journalism, and he was attached to the Minneapolis Star Tribune in Minnesota, where he worked as a reporter.<br><br> Jeelani is a Bachelor's in Chemistry and holds a Masters Degree in journalism and mass communication from Aligarh Muslim University. Outside work, he enjoys poetry, cricket and movies.
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