West Bengal budget Rs 4.38 lakh crore, 1 lakh jobs

The Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal presented its first full budget on Monday, June 22, 2026, outlining a 4.39 lakh crore financial plan focused on job creation, welfare continuity, and major infrastructure projects. Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta presented the budget in the Legislative Assembly, emphasizing the administration's goal of building a "Viksit Bengal" as part of a broader national vision.

A central commitment is the creation of one lakh government jobs, with 33 percent of those posts reserved for women candidates. The budget also allocates 14,000 crore for job provision under the VBG RAM G scheme and includes a monthly stipend of 3,000 rupees for unemployed youth. For state government employees and pensioners, the budget announced a significant 20 percentage point increase in dearness allowance, raising the total to 38 percent effective from October 1. Salaries for Asha workers were increased by 5,000 rupees per month, while civic volunteers and civil police received a 2,000 rupee monthly raise.

On infrastructure, Dasgupta announced plans to identify 1,500 acres of land near Kalyani for a new greenfield airport to address congestion at Kolkata...