Kolkata: The state will amend the existing West Bengal Shops and Establishments Act, 1963, to enable shops, restaurants, offices, logistics services and hospitality establishments to operate 24×7.In the state budget placed in the Assembly on Monday, finance minister Swapan Dasgupta said appropriate amendments would be made to the West Bengal Shops and Establishments Act, 1963,…
Budget allocation for education Kolkata: A new IIT and an IIM would be set up in north Bengal, announced state finance minister Swapan Dasgupta in his budget speech on Monday, adding that the Centre-backed initiative would offer “world-class” technical and management education. He also announced that Jadavpur University would be developed into an ‘Institute of…
Overview of the project site Kolkata: The proposed EM Bypass to New Town connecting flyover project is all set to roll on. State finance minister Swapan Dasgupta on Monday announced a funding outlay of Rs 900 crore setting up the flyover which will ease traffic and improve city connectivity.“Connectivity of New Town area with Central…
Kolkata: The state will not allow new liquor licences within a 500 m radius of religious institutions, schools and colleges in Kolkata, bringing relief to the hospitality industry. Earlier, CM Suvendu Adhikari had said alcohol sales would not be allowed within 1 km of such places. This 1-km exclusion zone will, however, be applicable in…
Kolkata: The BJP govt in Bengal has reduced the fund allocation for the minority affairs and madrassa education department in its first state budget, cutting the outlay by Rs 3,548 crore, or over 60%, compared with the previous Trinamool govt’s interim budget for 2025-26 in Feb.Presenting the state budget for 2026-27 on Monday, finance minister…
Kolkata/Siliguri: The Bengal govt will conduct a techno-economic feasibility study for developing metro links in the Durgapur-Asansol industrial corridor and the Siliguri-Jalpaiguri business hub.The announcement made in the BJP govt’s maiden state budget on Monday is also the first initiative to develop metro links beyond Kolkata. At present, Maharashtra has metros in Mumbai, Nagpur and…
Kolkata: Finance minister Swapan Dasgupta announced a climate-focused budget framework to strengthen resilience, protect ecosystems and support sustainable livelihoods across West Bengal.For 2026-27, the govt allocated Rs 200 crore to establish the Bengal Climate Resilience Fund and the West Bengal Climate Finance Facility. These will support the state action plan on climate change, attract external…
Kolkata: The state health department has ordered all senior residents (SRs) posted across various medical colleges and other government health facilities via an order in March to register for fresh counselling, following an uproar over a bypassed merit-based selection procedure.The controversy erupted earlier this year when a newly introduced Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) removed mandatory…
Kolkata: South 24 Parganas’ Falta, in the eye of a political storm, will be turned into a model block.While presenting the state budget on Monday, finance minister Swapan Dasgupta said, “Falta area in South 24 Parganas is planned to be developed as a model block. In the first phase, Falta BPHC will be upgraded to…
Kolkata: The BJP govt in Bengal announced in its first budget on Monday that it would fill 1 lakh vacancies across departments, with women accounting for 33% of the recruits.State finance minister Swapan Dasgupta said in his budget speech that the recruitments, to be undertaken in phases, would strengthen public services. Half of the proposed…
