West Bengal Introduces ₹5 Fish-Rice Meals And Liquor Shop Restrictions
Bengal announces ₹5 fish-rice meals and restrictions on liquor shops statewide.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced a series of welfare and regulatory measures, including subsidised meal schemes, monthly financial assistance for women under the proposed Annapurna Yojana, and restrictions on the location of liquor outlets near educational and religious institutions. Speaking after an administrative review meeting in Kalyani, Adhikari said the state government would begin issuing application forms for the Annapurna Yojana from May 27. Under the scheme, eligible women are proposed to receive ₹3,000 per month, with the chief minister stating that “all Indians are eligible to receive benefits under the scheme,” according to his remarks to reporters.
The government also announced a subsidised food programme under which fish-and-rice meals will be made available at ₹5 in approximately 400 dedicated canteens across the state. The scheme, according to Adhikari, will operate twice a week and is aimed at improving access to affordable nutrition for low-income groups. In addition, the chief minister said liquor shops will not be permitted within a one-kilometre radius of schools, colleges, and places of worship. The move is being positioned as part of broader regulatory reforms intended to address social concerns related to alcohol access in sensitive zones.
Adhikari also announced the creation of a separate AYUSH department, which will be delinked from the state health department. The decision is expected to give institutional independence to traditional medicine systems, including Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy, within the state administrative structure. The announcements come amid a series of policy initiatives from the state government since Adhikari assumed office following the 2026 Assembly elections. His administration has outlined a focus on welfare delivery, regulatory restructuring, and administrative reforms across multiple sectors.
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Separately, the government has also directed district authorities to establish holding centres for apprehended illegal immigrants prior to deportation, as part of ongoing enforcement measures linked to directives from the Union Home Ministry. Officials have said the facilities are intended to streamline identification and repatriation procedures.
The latest set of announcements reflects the government’s broader policy direction combining welfare-oriented schemes with stricter regulatory enforcement, though detailed implementation frameworks for several initiatives are yet to be formally released.
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