After being sworn in as the Chief Minister of West Bengal on May 9, 2026, Suvendu Adhikari chaired his first cabinet meeting on Monday (May 11, 2026) and said that his government has decided to hand over land to the Border Security Force for the construction of a fence along the Bangladesh border and approved the immediate implementation of central programs such as Bharat and Ayu state exercises.
During the day, the chief minister also allotted portfolios to the five ministers who were sworn in with him on May 9. Dilip Ghosh, former Bengal BJP president and MLA from Kharagpur Sadar, has been appointed minister in-charge of Panchayat and Rural Development and Animal Resource Development and Agricultural Marketing, while Agnimitra Paul, MLA, Welf Asansol of Social Development and Social Affairs Department will be in charge of social affairs. Ashok Kirtania, a prominent face of Matua in the cabinet and MLA from Bongaon Uttar, was given the charge of Food and Supplies and Co-operation Department and Khudiram Tudu, MLA from Ranibandh seat, who hails from a tribal community, was given the responsibility of Tribal Development, Backward Classes Welfare and Minorities Education & Madrashah.
Nishit Pramanik, who was elected from Mathabhanga Assembly seat in North Bengal, has taken charge of North Bengal Development and Youth and Sports Services. The remaining department will be handled by Mr. Adhikari, a government notification said.
Speaking to the press after the cabinet meeting, the prime minister said that no welfare system started by the previous government would be stopped. Later in the day, in a meeting with the party’s newly elected MLAs, Mr. Adhikari said the Annapurna Yojana, under which women in the state will receive a monthly financial assistance of ₹ 3,000, will be implemented from June 1.
After the cabinet meeting, Mr Adhikari said he would end the earlier practice of government “for the party, by the party and the party” and ensure that the constitutional principles of “for the people, by the people and by the people” are followed.
“We have taken six decisions in the cabinet (meeting). We are committed to the welfare of the 321 families of martyrs who laid down their lives as BJP supporters. We have initiated the transfer of BSF land for border security. The chief secretary and the minister of land and land revenue have been asked to complete the process of land transfer within the next 45 days,” the chief minister said.
The meeting also decided to include Bengal in several central government schemes, including the Ayushman Bharat health cover scheme. Ayushman Bharat aims to provide cashless hospitalization of ₹5,00,000 per family per year to poor and vulnerable families for secondary and tertiary health services.
“Government of West Bengal will implement all the schemes which were not implemented by the previous government. The process has started to actively implement major central schemes in the state including Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishak Bima Yojana, PM SHRI, Vishwakarma Scheme, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Ujjwala Adri noti Yojana.”
The chief minister said district magistrates have been directed to expedite forwarding all applications to the concerned union ministries.
After the Cabinet meeting, Mr Adhikari said: “Western government officials will participate in the training provided by the central government. The previous government did not allow the officials to participate in the programme.”
“The West Bengal government is allowing an age limit extension of five years for candidates appearing for government posts,” he said.
Mr. Adhikari alleged that the previous Mamata Banerjee-led TMC dispensation ignored a circular dated June 16, 2025, sent to the West Bengal government by the Office of the Registrar General of India under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, informing about the upcoming census in the state.
“On June 16, 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs sent a letter regarding conducting the census as per the directive of the Government of India. The previous government was still sitting on the file; we are starting the census in West Bengal,” Mr. Adhikari said.
“The TMC government has betrayed the constitution and the people and deliberately suspended the census in Bengal so that reservations for women can be stopped. The cabinet has given immediate sanction for the circular to come into effect in the state,” Adhikari added.
The Chief Minister also claimed that the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Penal Code, replacing the earlier IPC and CrPC, was not officially implemented by the Trinamool government and his government also decided to bring West Bengal fully in line with the provisions of the BNS.
Published – 11 May 2026 13:17 IST
