The West Bengal Budget proposals for the financial year 2026-27, presented by the state Finance Minister, Swapan Dasgupta, emphasize a three-pronged strategy to tackle unemployment in the state. Chief Minister Adhikari highlighted the strategy, including increased state government employment, attracting investments, and promoting self-employment through micro and small enterprises.
Adhikari mentioned adopting the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) model for state government recruitments. The Budget also prioritizes improving the “ease of doing business” by proposing a single-window system for clearances on investments exceeding Rs 100 crore.
Both the Chief Minister and Finance Minister announced a 20-percentage-point hike in dearness allowance (DA) for state government employees and pensioners. They aim to align state DA with central government levels in the future, seeking understanding as the new Finance Minister settles in.
Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee expressed cautious support for the Budget, urging vigilance against crony capitalism while opposing cuts in minority allocations, promising to challenge these during Budget discussions.
