WB Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta announces a White Paper on department finances and tabling of CAG reports. New initiatives include a women’s police station in Sandeshkhali, new colleges, and a specialized disaster response force.
Following the presentation of the state budget earlier this week, West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta on Thursday announced that the state government will publish a White Paper on every department and ministry to expose financial “irregularities” and will table pending CAG reports to ensure administrative transparency.
Development and Security Initiatives
Addressing the law and order concerns in the state, the Minister outlined a series of developmental and security initiatives, like the establishment of a new women’s police station in Sandeshkhali, a degree college in Hemtabad, and a women’s college in Kaliaganj.
Specialised Disaster Response Force
Outlining a new security and disaster response framework, Dasgupta detailed the composition of a highly trained specialized force. “A specialised force will be set up with 200 highly trained personnel. This will include 50 personnel from the Sunderbans, 50 from the mountain areas, and the remaining 100 will be deployed across other parts of the state to deal with natural disasters and major accidents,” he detailed.
Economic Boost and Empowerment Policies
Focusing on the upcoming festive season, Dasgupta stated that the government aims to launch several key policies before Durga Puja to boost the economy and empower women. These include a Value Incentive Policy, a Startup Policy, an AI Mission Policy, and a New Cloud Kitchen Policy specifically designed for women’s empowerment.
Clarification on Budget Allocations
Addressing the reduction in budget allocations for minority affairs and madrasa education, the Finance Minister clarified that the decision was based on performance metrics. “Our allocation is based on the utilisation of funds in this department,” he stated.
A Push for Economic Progress Over Identity Politics
The Finance Minister also made a strong pitch for moving away from identity politics and focusing on economic progress. “We should not view this road in terms of whether only Hindus will use it to the exclusion of others. Our identity is that we are all Indians. This kind of politics will now cease. We will strive to become the state with the largest economy,” the Minister remarked.
‘Viksit Bangla’ Budget Context
This comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal on Monday presented its first-ever state budget, unveiling a Rs 4,38,775.29 crore net outlay for the financial year 2026-27. Presented by Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta in the Legislative Assembly, the budget combined welfare measures, employment generation, infrastructure expansion, and fiscal consolidation under the government’s vision of a “Viksit Bangla.”
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