The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in West Bengal has presented its first budget since taking office, outlining a significant expansion in public sector employment and employee benefits.
Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta announced plans to fill 100,000 government vacancies and implement a 20 percentage point hike in the dearness allowance (DA) for state employees.
The move is designed to narrow the compensation gap between state and central government workers by 22 percentage points.
The budget allocates ₹36,000 crore to the Annapurna Yojana, marking a substantial pivot in the state’s welfare strategy.
This expenditure reflects the new administration’s priority to consolidate social safety nets while addressing immediate fiscal pressures on public sector wages.
The DA increase directly impacts the state’s revenue expenditure, signaling a commitment to retaining civil service talent amid broader economic adjustments.