Modi Assures Support for West Bengal’s Development Initiatives

PTI, June 20, 2026, Kolkata : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asserted the central government will support West Bengal in every way possible, pointing out that around Rs 40,000 crore has been disbursed to accelerate development projects “that were previously blocked”.

In a letter to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on the occasion of ‘Paschimbanga Divas’ or West Bengal Day, Modi urged the new BJP government in the state to set short, medium and long-term goals for development of the state.

“The central government will support the state in all ways possible. Almost Rs 40,000 crore has been released to accelerate development works that were previously blocked, including the Jal Jeevan Mission and works relating to infrastructure,” the PM said.

He said that almost Rs 15,000 crore has been allocated for railway development and Rs 60,000 crore is in the pipeline.

Modi, who participated in a programme during the day to mark the ‘Paschimbanga Divas’ at Tarakeswar in Hooghly, said that West Bengal can become a major centre for fisheries, manufacturing, food processing, port-led development, textiles, tourism and digital economy.

“The state’s strategic location can make it an important gateway for trade and connectivity,” he said in the letter.

“I urge the West Bengal Government to think about setting short, medium and long-term targets as well, such as what will be achieved in the next few years, next decade and so on,” the Prime Minister said.

“This way, we will get a realistic assessment of the ground covered and, at the same time, it will strengthen the collective efforts of 140 crore Indians to build a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047,” Modi said.