West Bengal Cabinet: Suvendu Adhikari allocates key portfolios to 5 ministers - check list

NEW DELHI: Newly elected Suvendu Adhikari's government on Monday allocated portfolios to five ministers in West Bengal. Dilip Ghosh received the state's rural development, panchayats, and animal resources department and Agnimitra Paul is set to head women and child welfare.Moreover, Ashok Kirtania got the state's food department, Khudiram Tudu received backward class welfare department and Nisith Pramanik got North Bengal development, sports, and youth welfare department.Check list of who got whatEarlier in the day, Bengal CM Adhikari unveiled a slew of major policy and administrative decisions, including bringing the state under the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat, handing over land to the BSF for border fencing, and implementing the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) criminal law framework.The announcements were made after the first cabinet meeting of the BJP government in the state, chaired by Adhikari and attended by newly sworn-in ministers and senior officials.Addressing the media, the chief minister said West Bengal would now implement several flagship central schemes, including Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, PM SHRI, and PM Vishwakarma.Moreover, the CM announced the implementation of the proposed Annapurna Bhandar scheme in the state, under which eligible women are expected to receive Rs 3,000 per month through direct bank transfers, in line with the BJP’s pre-poll promise.The move marks a significant increase from the earlier Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, under which women from the general category received Rs 1,500 per month, while beneficiaries from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe families were given Rs 1,700 per month.He also announced the rollout of welfare initiatives such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Ujjwala Yojana in the state.