Suvendu Adhikari takes several key decisions in first cabinet meeting

After taking oath as Chief Minister of the first BJP government in West Bengal on Saturday, Suvendu Adhikari assumed office at the state secretariat Nabanna for the first time on Monday. 

The first cabinet meeting was held on the 14th floor reserved for the Chief Minister.

Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Pal, Ashok Kirtania, Khudiram Tudu and Nishith Pramanik, who were sworn in as ministers along with Suvendu Adhikari, were present at the meeting. Their offices have not yet been allotted.

In the meeting, it was decided to complete the process of transferring land to the BSF within 45 days for the installation of barbed wire fencing on the border. 

Apart from this, Suvendu Adhikari took a series of other decisions. The cabinet decided that the state government would join the central government’s Ayushman Bharat project, Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana 3.0 and other centrally sponsored schemes. 

At the same time, the age limit for government employment has been increased by five years.

After completing several party programmes since morning, Suvendu Adhikari reached Nabanna at around 11:30am from the party office in Salt Lake. 

He was accorded a guard of honour by the West Bengal Police. Afterwards, the new Chief Minister held a meeting with the state Chief Secretary and Home Secretary on several issues, including law and order. Secretaries and officials of various departments were present.

Ensuring peace is government’s top priority

Suvendu Adhikari also posted a picture of the meeting on social media. He wrote: “Today, I held a review meeting with Chief Secretary Shri Dushmanta Nariala, Home Secretary Smt. Sanghamitra Ghosh, State DGP Shri Siddhanath Gupta and Kolkata Police Commissioner Shri Ajay Nanda at the state administrative building in Nabanna to review the law and order and administrative situation in the state. Several important administrative issues were discussed in detail in the meeting to ensure the security, good governance and overall development of every citizen of West Bengal. Our government is committed to building a responsible, transparent and people-oriented administration. Ensuring the security and peace of the people of the state is the primary priority of the government.”

On Monday, the Chief Minister held three more important meetings at Nabanna. The first cabinet meeting of the BJP government in West Bengal was held at 12 noon under the leadership of Suvendu Adhikari. The meeting with the Deputy Commissioners of 23 districts began at 1pm. At 4pm, he is scheduled to meet with the winning BJP candidates at Nabanna. Earlier, Suvendu Adhikari addressed a press conference where he informed journalists about the state government’s important decision regarding the installation of barbed wire fences on the border.

Government stands by families of 321 slain BJP workers

At the beginning of the press conference, the Chief Minister said he remembered with respect the 321 people who fell prematurely from the BJP and expressed condolences. He said this government is responsible for their families. They want justice for the murders and the government will ensure it.

Suvendu Adhikari said: “We held the first cabinet meeting. Five of my very important colleagues were present in the cabinet. The double engine government will work for everyone regardless of party affiliation. First of all, after a long time, the people of the country saw a fearless and free election. I express my gratitude to the polling workers, counting workers, state police, Kolkata police, rival political parties and all the candidates who performed their duties in this election. With respect to the 321 people through whose sacrifices this government was established, it has been decided to take responsibility for their families.”

Land to be handed over to BSF within 45 days for border security

Suvendu Adhikari said: “The demographics of the state have changed. In the interest of border security, the process of land transfer must be completed within the next 45 days. The process of land transfer will start from today. The Secretary and Chief Secretary of the Land and Revenue Department have been given the responsibility. The BSF will be given as much land as it wants. The previous government did not allow the Land Department to work to save illegal intruders. We have asked the Land Department to start the process of transferring the land that is ready from today. The current Chief Minister or his cabinet will not go to the question and answer session like the previous government.”

He further stated that the West Bengal government will hand over the land required for installing barbed wire on the border to the BSF within 45 days. On the first day, approval was given for the transfer of land to the Union Home Ministry and the BSF. The Land and Revenue Secretary and the Chief Secretary have been assigned the responsibility. The necessary land will be handed over to the BSF within 45 days.

West Bengal joins various central government projects

Regarding various central projects in which the state government had not participated earlier, he said: “The Prime Minister had said that we will join the ‘Ayushman Bharat’ scheme in the first cabinet. We have joined Ayushman Bharat. The Health Secretary will complete this matter very quickly with the Adviser to the Chief Minister’s Office and the Chief Secretary. We have decided to join the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana 3.0 and other centrally sponsored schemes. We have decided to send the 8,65000 petitions of Ujjwala Yojana that the previous government did not send to the centre. The previous government was implementing the old CrPC and IPC by showing thumbs to the Constitution. We have decided today that we have joined the Indian Code of Ethics.”

Age limit for government jobs increased

Suvendu Adhikari further announced that the BJP government in the state has increased the age limit for government jobs by five years. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said that there had been no recruitment in government jobs in the state after 2015. As a result, many educated youths have been deprived. Keeping this in mind, the age limit for applying for government jobs has been increased by five years.

He also mentioned that on June 16, 2025, a letter was sent from the Union Home Ministry regarding the census, but the previous West Bengal government had left that file pending. “They not only betrayed West Bengal, they also betrayed the country and the Constitution. Their main goal was to betray women by stopping this census. From this moment, the West Bengal government has started the census work from today.”

‘We’ policy, not ‘me’

Suvendu Adhikari claimed that some paperwork is needed. More decisions regarding the announcements made in their resolution will be taken in the next cabinet meeting. This government does not believe in ‘me’, it will run on the ‘we’ principle. “We will work in such a way that the remaining four-five percent critics cannot criticise us. Trust us, we will follow the right path. You could not question the previous Chief Minister.”