Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, May 18: The West Bengal government led by Suvendu Adhikari on Monday announced a series of major decisions during its first cabinet meeting, including discontinuation of government assistance schemes based on religious categorisation from June and scrapping the state’s existing Other Backward Classes (OBC) list following a Calcutta High Court order.
Minister Agnimitra Paul said a new panel would be constituted to decide quota eligibility in the state.
She said schemes implemented under religious categorisation through the departments of Information and Cultural Affairs and Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education would continue only till the end of May and would be discontinued from June. Separate notifications regarding the decision would be issued shortly.
The move marks a major policy shift from the previous Trinamool Congress government, which had introduced several welfare schemes for religious functionaries.
In 2012, the then government had launched a monthly honorarium scheme for imams across West Bengal, under which registered imams received Rs 2,500 per month. The scheme was aimed at supporting economically weaker religious leaders.
Later, similar financial assistance was extended to muezzins, who call worshippers for prayers at mosques. Both schemes were funded through the minority welfare department.
In 2020, the then Mamata Banerjee government also introduced a monthly allowance for Hindu priests or purohits. The scheme was seen as an attempt to counter criticism that only Muslim religious leaders were receiving government support.
Under the scheme, registered purohits initially received Rs 1,000 per month, which was later increased to Rs 2,000 ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The state government has now maintained that welfare schemes should not be implemented on the basis of religious identity.
The cabinet also decided to constitute commissions to probe alleged irregularities and cases related to atrocities against women during the previous regime.
Adhikari announced that a commission headed by retired justice Samapti Chatterjee had been formed to investigate cases of alleged atrocities against women across the state. Former IPS officer Damayanti Sen has been appointed as member secretary of the panel.
The chief minister said the commission has been asked to submit its report within one month.
The government has also formed another commission under retired justice Biswajit Das to investigate alleged institutional corruption and irregularities in fund distribution during the Mamata Banerjee government.