Land for BSF, census, job age-limit relaxed: First decisions by Adhikari cabinet

WEst Bengal’s number one Bharatiya Janata company regime led by chief government minister Suvendu Adhikari, chaired its number one cabinet meeting on Monday and announced the transfer of land to Border Security Force (BSF) for setting up fences along the Bangladesh border, and the implementation of the census and Centre’s social welfare schemes in the state. “The demographic character of Bengal has changed and the nation’s security is at risk. The cabinet today approved the transfer of land to the BSF with immediate effect. The chief secretary and the land and reforms department’s secretary have been asked to complete the process in 45 days. Although 90% of the required land was ready, the former government prevented this to protect a segment of the population. We will take care of the infiltration problem in a few days,” Adhikari said.CM said that the Centre notified the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government on June 25, 2025 that the census process should start. “The files were lying here since then. The cabinet today approved the immediate launch of the census process. The erstwhile government did not act to deprive women of the reservation the Centre wants to start,” he said. The meeting was attended by five ministers: Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Ashok Kirtania, Nisith Pramanik and Kshudiram Tudu.Adhikari at Nabanna, the state secretariat said that none of the existing social welfare schemes would be stopped. However, all Central schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, PM Vishwakarma, PM Ujjwala Yojana 3.0, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and crop insurance would be implemented immediately.“Around 8,65,000 applications were filed by Bengal’s artisans for inclusion in the PM Viswakarma scheme. But the district magistrates were instructed not to send these to the Central MSME department only for political reasons. The same was done with Ujjwala scheme applications,” he said. “However, no dead person or foreigner will get these benefits,” he added.Also Read:Free electricity, women’s safety: Vijay’s first actions after taking oath as Tamil Nadu’s chief ministerHe also announced training centres for officers under national and state cadres. “Till now IAS, IPS, WBCS and WBPS officers did not go for Central training programmes. The former chief minister did not allow this. Today we empowered the chief secretary to start it,” he said.Adhikari announced a five-year age relaxation for government job applications, a promise made by Union home minister Amit Shah before the polls. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah made these promises,” Adhikari said. “Also the erstwhile government did not enforce the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita and kept following the Indian Penal Code. BNS has been enforced from today,” he said.He announced that the next meeting on May 18 would address important decisions on the dearness allowance for state employees under the 7th Pay Commission, institutional corruption, atrocities against women, and the 2024 RG Kar Hospital rape and murder case.Also Read:West Bengal Polls 2026: RG Kar victim’s mother, BJP candidate leads from PanihatiHe said that the state saw a “bloodless, free, and fair election after ages” and thanked the voters for the 93% turnout. “This is being discussed across the world,” he said.“We also thank the EC, the officers who came as observers, the police, the media, the Central forces and all other contesting parties,” he said.“We also paid homage to the 321 BJP workers who laid down their lives during years of struggle. This government is duty-bound to their families. These families will get justice, and we will also take care of them,” he said.Adhikari earlier met BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya to discuss issues of first cabinet meeting.“This will not be a BJP government. This is the government of West Bengal. The party will interact with the government on the commitments made in the election manifesto,” Bhattacharya said.