West Bengal’s newly elected BJP government, led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, has decided to implement the 7th Pay Commission for state government employees in a move aimed at reducing the long-standing pay gap between state and central government staff.
The 7th Pay Commission in West Bengal will be implemented immediately for its employees, as well as staff working in statutory civic bodies, education boards and state-run educational institutions, the Bengal cabinet decided today.
When asked whether the issue of Dearness Allowance was discussed during the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul said, "There was no discussion on DA today. Such discussions will be held later."
Agnimitra Paul said the state cabinet has also approved free travel for women on government buses from June 1.
The cabinet has also approved Annapurna Bhandar under which Rs 3,000 monthly cash will be given to eligible women beneficiaries from the state's coffers. This replaces ex-Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Lakshmi Bhandar scheme tat had recently hiked the cash incentive to Rs 1,500 per month.
Speaking at a press conference after the cabinet meeting at the state secretariat Nabanna, minister Agnimitra Paul said women who applied for citizenship under the CAA and approached tribunals for inclusion in voter lists during the SIR exercise will also get benefits under the Annapurna scheme.
"The cabinet gave a nod to the 'Annapurna' scheme of Rs 3,000 monthly assistance to women from June 1. It also approved a proposal to allow free travel for women in government-run buses from next month," she said.
The decisions are part of the new BJP government’s wider effort to deliver key election promises soon after coming to power for the first time in the eastern state afer toppling the TMC government.
The West Bengal cabinet has also decided to stop incentive schemes based on religion.
"The Bengal cabinet decided to discontinue government assistance to groups based on religious categorisation from June. The government also scrapped the existing state OBC list, in accordance with the Calcutta High Court judgment, and will set up a panel to decide quota eligibility," Paul said.
She said schemes run under religious categories by the departments of Information and Cultural Affairs and Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education would continue till the end of this month and would stop from June.
She added that separate notifications would be issued on the matter.
The minister also said the government has decided to focus on improving drainage systems and strengthening civic infrastructure ahead of the monsoon season.
She said the chief minister instructed officials to immediately restart garbage clearance work in cities and towns and ordered quick repairs of street lights that are not working across the state.
The West Bengal cabinet has also decided to implement every central schemes immediately.
The next cabinet meeting will be held after 15 days.
