The West Bengal cabinet, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, is set to convene its crucial second meeting on Monday afternoon. The agenda includes discussions on state finance and education matters. One significant topic to be addressed is the issue of paying Dearness Allowances (DA) to state government employees in line with the Supreme Court’s directive and the BJP’s pre-election promises.
In the finance sector, a key focus will be on the upfront payment of 25% of the accrued 2008-2019 DA arrears. Despite the Supreme Court’s deadline of March 31, 2026, the previous government managed to evade this payment. The cabinet is expected to deliberate on strategies for fulfilling this obligation.
In the education sector, the cabinet will deliberate on policies aimed at ensuring transparency and merit-based admissions in undergraduate programs at state-run and state-aided institutions. The objective is to eliminate any undue influence from political student factions and streamline the admission process.
Following the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Adhikari will engage in discussions with top Border Security Force (BSF) officials regarding land handover for erecting barbed fencing along the unfenced borders with Bangladesh. Additionally, he will honor the high achievers of the West Bengal Board’s secondary and higher secondary examinations, the results of which were recently announced.
