West Bengal's new BJP government is set to hold its first major round of administrative and Cabinet meetings on Monday, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expected to outline the government's priorities for the next five years.
According to government sources, Adhikari and his five Cabinet colleagues will meet at Nabanna around noon to discuss key policy issues, including the implementation of Ayushman Bharat in Bengal and strengthening border fencing along the state's unfenced stretches bordering Bangladesh, per a Times of India report.
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Ayushman Bharat, border fencing on agenda
The first Cabinet meeting is expected to focus on rolling out Ayushman Bharat, the Centre-funded health insurance scheme that offers eligible families up to Rs 5 lakh annual coverage. The Mamata Banerjee-led government had earlier resisted the scheme.
Another major issue likely to come up is border security. Sources said the BJP government wants to prioritise fencing the 569-km stretch of the Bengal-Bangladesh border that remains unfenced. Bengal shares a total border of over 2,216 km with Bangladesh.
The five ministers sworn in alongside Adhikari on Saturday, Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Nisith Pramanik, Ashoke Kirtania and Khudiram Tudu, are also expected to receive their portfolios during Monday's meeting, reported TOI.
Meetings with IAS and IPS officers
The Chief Minister is scheduled to meet all IAS officers, including district magistrates, at 4 pm. A separate meeting with senior IPS officers and police chiefs is expected at 5 pm, per TOI.
Director General of Police SN Gupta reportedly issued a "most urgent" communication on Saturday night asking police unit chiefs to attend the meeting where "law and order and related matters" would be discussed.
Ahead of the meetings, the government also cleared several administrative changes. Two IAS officers, P Promoth and Navneet Mittal, were appointed joint secretaries in the Chief Minister's Office, while seven WBCS officers were made senior deputy secretaries.
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Officials said Adhikari will continue to receive CAPF protection alongside Bengal Police security cover.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Adhikari said, "The past government never cared for meritorious IAS and IPS officers from the state. That often forced them to leave Bengal. But this government needs these officers to implement policy decisions."
