Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari hands portfolios to 5 ministers; Agnimitra Paul, Dilip Ghosh get key roles
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari finalised the allocation of key portfolios among five ministers during a meeting with MLAs on Monday.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari allocated key portfolios to five ministers who took office in the new Cabinet on Saturday. Agnimitra Paul became the Women and Child Welfare minister in the West Bengal government, while Dilip Ghosh was assigned the department of Rural Development, Panchayats, and Animal Resources. Here's a list of all five ministers:
1) Dilip Ghosh: Development, Panchayats, and Animal Resources
He is one of the BJP's prominent faces during its organisational expansion in West Bengal. He served as a Member of Parliament from Medinipur and is a former state BJP president.
Ashok Kirtania is a BJP MLA from Bangaon Uttar in North 24 Parganas. In the 2026 Assembly elections, he won from this constituency by defeating TMC's Biswajit Das by a decisive margin of 40,670 votes.
Quick answers to key questions
In the West Bengal government, Suvendu Adhikari has allocated portfolios to five new ministers. Dilip Ghosh is assigned Rural Development, Panchayats, and Animal Resources; Ashok Kirtania heads the Food Department; Khudiram Tudu is in charge of Backward Class Welfare; Agnimitra Paul is the Women and Child Welfare minister; and Nisith Pramanik is responsible for North Bengal Development, Sports, and Youth Welfare.
At the first cabinet meeting, Suvendu Adhikari announced the rollout of central schemes like Ayushman Bharat, PM Jan Arogya Yojana, PM Kisan insurance, PM SHRI, Vishwakarma Scheme, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Ujjwala Yojana. Other decisions included implementing the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, extending government job age limits by five years, and enhancing border security measures with land allocation for BSF fencing.
Yes, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has stated that the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme, a flagship program of the previous government, will continue. He assured that all ongoing beneficiary schemes in Bengal will not be stopped.
Suvendu Adhikari's government faces significant challenges including managing a large fiscal liability for Dearness Allowance arrears, dismantling entrenched local extortion networks (syndicates), maintaining communal harmony amidst polarizing policies, securing the border with Bangladesh to curb illegal immigration, and reviving industrial growth to address low per capita income.
The new West Bengal government has approved the transfer of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) for fencing the Bangladesh border. This move aims to complete long-delayed projects and create a more secure border, addressing concerns about illegal immigration and smuggling.
Kirtania belongs to the influential Matua community, which has been a key support base for the party in recent elections.
3) Khudiram Tudu: Backward Class Welfare
Khudiram Tudu is a tribal leader from Bankura's Ranibandh constituency in the Jungle Mahal region. Tudu won the Ranibandh (ST) seat in the 2026 elections, defeating TMC candidate Tanushree Hansda by a margin of 52,269 votes.
4) Agnimitra Paul: Women and Child Welfare
Agnimitra Paul is a fashion designer-turned-politician who previously led the BJP Mahila Morcha in West Bengal. She was recently appointed vice-president of the party's state unit.
She is currently the only woman minister in the state Cabinet. In the 2026 West Bengal Legislative Assembly elections, she retained the Asansol Dakshin Assembly constituency seat with a commanding margin of 40,839 votes against the Trinamool Congress candidate Tapas Banerjee.
5) Nisith Pramanik: North Bengal Development, Sports, and Youth Welfare
Nisith Pramanik, who was earlier associated with the Trinamool Congress, joined the BJP in 2019. He served as a Union Minister of State in the PM Modi government, becoming one of the youngest ministers at the time. In the 2026 elections, Pramanik won the Mathabhanga (SC) seat by a margin of 57,090 votes, defeating his nearest rival, Sablu Barman of TMC.
The distribution of portfolios came shortly after the formation of the new government in West Bengal, with the Chief Minister moving quickly to establish an administrative structure and assign responsibilities across key departments.
Appointment of Manoj Agarwal
Meanwhile, West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal was appointed the chief secretary of the Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government in the state, according to an official order issued on Monday.
Who is he? According to news agency PTI, Agarwal is a 1990-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre.
He helmed the Election Commission-mandated SIR exercise in the state in the run-up to the assembly polls, in which around 91 lakh voters were removed from the electoral rolls.
Incumbent Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala was named Principal Resident Commissioner in New Delhi, the order stated.
The BJP came to power for the first time in the state after handing a stunning defeat to the Trinamool Congress. The saffron party secured 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, reducing the TMC to 80 seats.
Key announcements at first Cabinet meeting
At his first Cabinet meeting, Suvendu Adhikari announced the rollout of major central schemes, including Ayushman Bharat, and other welfare programmes such as PM Jan Arogya Yojana, PM Kisan-related insurance, PM SHRI, Vishwakarma Scheme, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Ujjwala Yojana.
He also announced reforms in governance and administration, including alignment with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), increased government job age limits by five years, participation of IAS officers in central training programmes, and stricter implementation of census directives.
Adhikari further emphasised border security measures and faster land allocation to the Border Security Force (BSF).
The Chief Minister assured that all welfare schemes will continue, but with tighter verification to prevent misuse.
The Cabinet also expressed gratitude to voters for a peaceful election and reiterated its commitment to development, security and implementation of central policies across the state.
About the Author
Akriti Anand is a Deputy Chief Content Producer at LiveMint. She is a digital journalist with more than six years in the news industry.<br><br> In her current role, she covers both national and international politics, and also keeps a close watch on the latest trends in science and space exploration. <br><br> Akriti joined the LiveMint team in October 2023. Before this, she built a strong career at other major media houses. She worked as a senior sub-editor at India Today. Later, she moved to CNBCTV-18. There, she covered high-pressure topics like breaking news and major elections. She spent much of her time analysing Parliament bills and complex political debates. She is also a skilled editor who knows how to polish a story for a digital audience. <br><br> One of her career highlights happened at CNBCTV-18. She made her first television debut during the Chandrayaan-3 mission. She also provided special on-air coverage for the Karnataka Elections. <br><br> When she is not busy with breaking news, Akriti loves to write explainers and interview experts on a wide range of issues. She also enjoys making complex space missions easy for everyone to understand. <br><br> Her education helps her tackle these diverse subjects. She holds a BA in English Literature, a Postgraduate Diploma in Mass Communication, and a Master’s degree in Development Studies. She is currently expanding her knowledge in climate journalism.<br><br> Connect with Akriti here<br> LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199">https://www.linkedin.com/in/akriti-anand-868285199</a><br> Twitter/X: <a href="https://x.com/AkritiAnand7">https://x.com/AkritiAnand7</a><br> Email: akriti.anand@htdigital.in
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