Portfolios were distributed to five West Bengal cabinet ministers sworn in on May 9, along with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who will also hold the home, finance, health, industries and commerce, and education portfolios. Other portfolios will be monitored by the CM until the cabinet is expanded.
Agnimitra Paul – Women and Child Development and Social Welfare, as well as Municipal Affairs and Urban Development.
Dilip Ghosh – Panchayat and Rural Development, Animal Resource Development, as well as Agricultural Marketing.
Ashok Kirtania – Food and Supplies and Cooperation.
Kshudiram Tudu – Tribal Development, Backward Classes Welfare, as well as Minorities Affairs and Madrassa Education.
Nisith Pramanik – North Bengal Development, as well as Youth Affairs and Sports.
Following the allocation of portfolios, several administrative decisions were taken by the government in less than a week. Six central government welfare schemes were rolled out, including the health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat, to replace the existing ‘Swasthya Sathi’ scheme. This was in addition to existing state government schemes started by the former TMC government.
Women can travel for free on state government buses from June 1. The move is aimed at encouraging more women to use public transport.
The upper age limit for government jobs was increased by five years to 45 years, to provide more employment opportunities for the youth.
As far as religious congregations are concerned, the government instructed police to prevent prayer congregations, such as namaz on roads, that block traffic and inconvenience the public. Also, loudspeaker sound must not travel beyond religious precincts. The West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act, 1950 was also invoked ahead of Eid celebrations on May 27. This was done to prevent indiscriminate slaughter of useful animals such as cattle, calves, and buffaloes, to boost milk production and protect animals used for agricultural work.
An animal over 14 years of age can be considered for slaughter only if it is permanently unable to work or breed due to injury or deformity. Only after obtaining a fitness certificate issued jointly by a Municipality or Panchayat Chairman and a government veterinary surgeon can the animal be slaughtered. Also, animal slaughter is permitted only in designated municipal slaughterhouses and is prohibited in public. Violation of the law carries a six-month jail term, a Rs 1,000 penalty, or both.
Adhikari ordered the demolition of illegal constructions, including factories in the state, after a fire broke out in an illegal factory-cum-residential building in the Tiljala area of Kolkata on Wednesday. The fire broke out in a leather factory operating in the illegal building, killing two people trapped inside a bathroom. The initial shock over the immediate demolition of illegal portions of buildings prompted the state to announce that prior notice would be given to landowners.
The government also announced action against illegal parking zones in the city, along with the immediate closure of unauthorised toll gates, drop gates, and barricades, to prevent extortion. The emphasis overall was that ‘cut money’ practices in localities, including money collection from auto-rickshaw drivers, hawkers, or for availing welfare schemes, must stop.
A fresh probe was ordered into the Lionel Messi fiasco and vandalism of Salt Lake Stadium in December last year. The RG Kar Hospital rape case of 2024 was also reopened by the current state government, while three senior police officers were suspended during the ongoing investigation to ensure transparency. These include the Commissioner of Police Vineet Goyal, former Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhishek Gupta, and former Deputy Commissioner of Police Indira Mukherjee, who were suspended over the alleged mishandling of the case and an alleged cover-up by the former government.
Adhikari instructed government hospitals to provide beds to patients instead of making them run from one hospital to another. Patients should not wait on stretchers, and deserving patients should not be denied a bed. The admission process is to be free of political influence. The CM also directed the health department to develop an app to track ambulances.
The government ordered the singing of the national song Vande Mataram during morning assembly in government-run schools with immediate effect. Private schools have also been requested to sing the national song.
The BJP is looking to implement promises made in its manifesto before the recently concluded assembly elections. The party aims to introduce greater administrative efficiency, including in the functioning of the police, to project itself as a proactive, approachable government with zero tolerance for corruption and lawlessness.
Political science professor at Presidency University Zaad Mahmood pointed out that this has been an interesting week. “On one hand, the government has been saying they want to establish the rule of law, they want to replace the rule of the TMC. Saying that RG Kar will be investigated. It is a positive sign. On the other hand, we see the bulldozer without any proper legal procedure. Even the High Court has stopped it,” he said.