State government announces discontinuation of stipends for religious leaders from June

PTI, May 18, 2026, Kolkata: Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday declared "zero tolerance" towards vandalism and attacks on police personnel, warning of the strictest legal action and asserting that if such incidents recur, "no one will be worse than me as the Home Minister".

The warning came a day after protests against a bulldozer drive linked to action against "illegal structures" turned violent in Kolkata's Park Circus-Tiljala area, with demonstrators allegedly pelting stones at police personnel and vandalising vehicles, prompting Adhikari, who also holds the Home portfolio, to signal what he described as the end of the era of "tied hands and feet" policing.

Addressing reporters after visiting the Park Circus Deputy Commissioner's office and meeting police officers and injured personnel following Sunday's violence in the minority-dominated Park Circus area, he projected a tough law-and-order stance, while drawing a sharp contrast with the "functioning" of earlier administrations.

The violence left six police personnel and two CRPF jawans injured, Adhikari said, adding that 40 people had so far been arrested.

PTI, May 18, 2026, Kolkata: The West Bengal cabinet on Monday decided that assistance-oriented schemes currently in place based on religious categorisation for imams, muezzins and purohits would be discontinued from June this year.

The honorariums under the departments of Information and Cultural Affairs and the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education for the religious leaders were aimed at supporting their socio-economic standing, as per a notification of the erstwhile TMC-led government in the state.

"The cabinet has approved the discontinuation of schemes based on religious categorisation. A notification on this will be issued," Women, Child and Social Welfare Minister Agnimitra Paul said, indicating that the existing state budgetary allocations for the scheme could be scrapped.

Paul added that none of the existing scholarship schemes for students would be discontinued.

Following a Rs 500 hike in honorarium for religious leaders by the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government in March this year, imams of registered mosques in Bengal were granted a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000, while muezzins and purohits were provided Rs 2,000.

Acting on the BJP's pre-poll promises of enhanced financial assistance for the women of West Bengal, the cabinet approved the 'Annapurna' scheme of Rs 3,000 monthly support to them from June 1, and granted in-principle consent for their free travel in state-run buses.

Addressing a press conference after the second cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Paul announced the scrapping of the existing state OBC list based on a Calcutta High Court judgment.

The minister also announced the cabinet approval for the constitution of the Seventh State Pay Commission to revise the salary structure of government employees.

Paul, however, confirmed that the issue of granting increased dearness allowance (DA) to state employees was not on the agenda of Monday's meeting.

"The cabinet gave its in-principle nod to the 'Annapurna' scheme of Rs 3,000 monthly assistance to women from June 1. Those who are currently receiving the assistance under the previous government's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme will be automatically entitled to the Annapurna Yojana. There is no need to reapply for it. Money will be sent through direct bank transfer," Paul said.

She announced that the government would soon launch a web portal to facilitate fresh applications for the programme for those who had yet to receive the assistance.

"Women who applied for citizenship under the CAA and those who approached the tribunals for inclusion of names in voter rolls will also be entitled to receive the Annapurna scheme benefit," the minister clarified.

Paul said that the cabinet approved a proposal to allow free travel for women in government-run buses from June 1, but added there were no immediate plans to increase the fleet size.

Paul announced the constitution of the Seventh State Pay Commission for upward revision of salaries of its employees, stating that the scope of pay hike would also extend to the staff of statutory entities like civic bodies, local bodies, education boards and those working in state-run education institutions.

"The details of the commission's set-up will be duly notified," she said, without specifying its date of implementation.