kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata | June 22, 2026 : West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta on Monday presented the full-fledged budget for the remaining eight months of the current financial year in the State Assembly and made a series of major announcements aimed at government employees, job seekers, and administrative reforms. The budget introduced significant decisions regarding government recruitment, salary hikes, Dearness Allowance (DA), welfare measures, and the restructuring of the state’s administrative framework.

Relief for thousands of Civic Volunteers and Village Police personnel across the state, the Finance Minister announced an increase of ₹2,000 in their monthly salaries. The enhanced salary will come into effect from August 2026, bringing financial benefits to these frontline workers who play a crucial role in maintaining law and order and assisting local administration.

The budget also highlighted a massive recruitment drive in the government sector. According to the Finance Minister’s announcement, the state government will recruit 50,000 teachers to strengthen the education system. Alongside this, the recruitment process for nearly 1 lakh vacant posts lying unfilled in various government departments will be initiated. The government believes that these appointments will create fresh employment opportunities for the youth of West Bengal and provide a major boost to the state’s workforce.

Fulfilling a long-standing demand of government employees, the state government has also announced a significant increase in Dearness Allowance. The existing 18 percent DA will be increased by an additional 20 percent, taking the total DA to 38 percent. The revised DA structure will become effective from October 1, 2026, and pensioners will also receive the benefits of the increased allowance.

Apart from recruitment and salary enhancements, the budget has placed special emphasis on women’s welfare, educational reforms, and industrial development. The government outlined plans to introduce several welfare initiatives for women, modernize the education system, and attract new investments to generate more employment opportunities across the state. Political observers and economic experts believe that the budget has reflected public expectations surrounding DA hikes, government jobs, and people-centric welfare schemes.

The budget relates to administrative restructuring. The state government has proposed the creation of five new districts — Kolkata, Basirhat, Sundarban, Jangipur, and Arambagh. According to the government, the formation of these new districts will help deliver administrative services more quickly and efficiently to the people and improve the overall functioning of governance at the grassroots level.

The 2026 West Bengal Budget has therefore emerged as a significant policy document focusing on employment generation, financial relief for government workers, social welfare, and better administrative management. The announcements regarding increased DA, new government jobs, higher salaries for Civic Volunteers and Village Police personnel, and the proposal for new districts are expected to have a considerable impact on the state’s administrative and economic landscape.