Centre Unveils ₹12,064 Crore Development Push for West Bengal

Chouhan announced that the Centre has approved ₹8,508 crore for West Bengal's rural development programmes.

The Central Government has announced a series of development measures for West Bengal, covering infrastructure, rural employment, housing, agriculture and women's livelihoods, during a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Kolkata.

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, members of the State Cabinet and senior officials from both the Centre and the State. Addressing a joint press conference, Chouhan said a Viksit West Bengal is essential for achieving the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat, adding that close cooperation between the two governments would help accelerate development across the state.

A major focus of the meeting was the review of 19 infrastructure projects worth more than ₹82,000 crore spanning roads, railways, metro, petroleum and natural gas, coal and labour sectors. Officials discussed pending issues related to land acquisition, rehabilitation, utility shifting and forest clearances. The Minister directed all agencies to work in coordination so that long-delayed projects move forward without further obstacles.

He also suggested creating a State-level Project Monitoring Group (State PMG) to improve coordination between departments and speed up implementation.

Rural employment, housing and women receive major financial support

Chouhan announced that the Centre has approved ₹8,508 crore for West Bengal's rural development programmes. Combined with the State's contribution, the total allocation will exceed ₹12,064 crore, with funds flowing through Panchayats until March 31 to strengthen rural infrastructure and generate employment.

He said the government's focus is expanding beyond the traditional 100-day employment guarantee towards 125 days of work, offering greater income security while creating durable community assets such as rural roads, ponds, irrigation facilities, schools and Anganwadi buildings under the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, which came into force on July 1.

The Minister also announced an interim approval for one lakh houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G). Since heavy rainfall delayed beneficiary surveys, the deadline has been extended until August 15, allowing officials to identify all eligible families before house allotments begin.

Women's Self-Help Groups also received a significant boost under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana, with ₹245 crore in bank credit and ₹50 crore through the Community Investment Fund. Chouhan said the financial assistance would help women expand production, processing and marketing activities while creating stronger rural livelihoods.

Agriculture plans focus on farmers, seeds and high-value crops

The Centre outlined an ambitious roadmap to strengthen West Bengal's agriculture through better technology, research and market opportunities.

Chouhan announced that Malda will become part of the national Clean Plant Programme, producing disease-free planting material for mango, litchi and other fruit crops. Financial assistance of up to ₹3 crore for large nurseries and ₹1.5 crore for medium-sized nurseries will support the expansion of quality planting material.

Special projects have also been approved to strengthen rice and maize value chains, improve storage and processing infrastructure, and promote nutritious rice varieties. The Minister said West Bengal will be developed as the Seed Hub of Eastern India, with agreements already signed for producing potato seed, hybrid maize seed and other crop varieties. Orchid cultivation and horticulture projects are also expected to help farmers diversify into high-value farming.

He added that the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), State Agricultural Universities and scientists are jointly preparing a scientific agricultural roadmap tailored to the state's agro-climatic conditions. The Centre also plans to expand coverage under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and organise village-level camps with NABARD and banks to improve access to Kisan Credit Cards, making affordable institutional credit available to more farmers.