West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday chaired his first cabinet meeting at the Nabanna conference hall, outlining a series of policy decisions focused on employment, healthcare, and security. The meeting, attended by five ministers, marked the beginning of the new government’s administrative roadmap. Addressing the media afterward, Adhikari said his administration would function on the principle of “not I, but We,” signalling a collective governance approach.

One of the major announcements from the meeting was a five-year relaxation in the upper age limit for government job aspirants. The Chief Minister said the move was aimed at addressing rising unemployment and compensating for what he described as a stagnation in recruitment since 2015. He stated that the decision would help thousands of candidates who had missed earlier recruitment cycles to re-enter the competitive job market and improve their chances of securing government employment.

In the health sector, the Chief Minister announced that West Bengal would now adopt the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme, effectively ending the state’s prolonged parallel operation of its own Swasthya Sathi programme. He assured that no existing welfare schemes would be discontinued during this transition. Officials have been instructed to coordinate with the Union Health Ministry to complete formalities, while district administrations have been directed to expedite processing of pending applications under various central welfare schemes.

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On administrative and security matters, Adhikari approved a long-pending proposal for transferring land required for the construction of Border Security Force (BSF) outposts. He directed the Land and Revenue Department to complete the process within 45 days, emphasizing the need to strengthen border infrastructure. The Chief Minister also announced the immediate implementation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in the state and instructed that IAS and IPS officers adhere to national training standards, citing the need for improved administrative discipline and coordination with central guidelines.

The government also reviewed ongoing welfare schemes, with the Chief Minister assuring that flagship programmes such as Lakshmir Bhandar would continue without disruption, though with increased transparency in execution. He further indicated that key decisions on sensitive issues—including investigations into incidents like RG Kar and Sandeshkhali, as well as matters related to the Seventh Pay Commission and Dearness Allowance (DA)—would be taken in the next cabinet meeting.

Concluding the briefing, Adhikari said his government would prioritise efficiency, transparency, and accountability in governance. In a pointed remark, he stated that his administration would ensure policies are open to public scrutiny and that press interactions would be substantive rather than symbolic. The announcements collectively signal the new government’s focus on employment generation, welfare delivery, and administrative restructuring in the state.

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