Budget is testament that our government has a human face: Chandrima
The Statesman | 7 February 2026
The humane and sincere attempt to uplift the living condition of the economically challenged people by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have helped elevate more than one crore people living below the poverty line, state finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said today.
Addressing the Press this afternoon, Mrs Bhattacharya said due to the sustained effort by Miss Banerjee over the past 15 years, 1.72 crore people living below the poverty line have been brought out of the slab. This, she said, has been possible due to the far-sightedness of the Chief Minister. As per the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data, conducted by the Centre, the unemployment rate among people aged 15 years and above has declined by around 45.65 per cent from 2017-18 to 2023-24.
West Bengal is number one in agricultural production in the entire country. Around 9 crore people have been brought under the Khadya Sathi scheme. Under Swasthya Sathi, 2.45 crore families have been enrolled, covering almost the entire population of the state, she said.
Under the Banglar Bari scheme, around 32 lakh houses have been provided to families, and since the inception of the scheme, over 1 crore houses have been given. Under Rastashree-Pathashree, more than 2.20 lakh kilometres of roads have been constructed despite deprivation by the Centre, and an additional 30,000 km of roads are currently under construction.
West Bengal is number one in the MSME sector. Women working in this sector have a repayment rate of over 99 per cent, and the quality of their work is extremely high. The credit for this goes to CM Mamata Banerjee. While the Centre speaks of Lakhpati Didi, women in West Bengal are already financially empowered.
“Our government has a human face and while preparing the Budget for 2026-27, the interest of all sections of people has been taken into consideration. Ours is a welfare state and we cannot ignore the common people,” she said.
Mrs Bhattacharya said the financial assistance under Lakshmir Bhandar has been enhanced keeping in mind women empowerment. “There are people who call it as a dole without understanding the ground reality. This has helped women to live with dignity as they do not have to ask for financial assistance from the male members of the family,” she said, adding, “From February, women belonging to the general caste will get Rs 1,500 while those belonging to the SC and ST caste will get Rs 1,700.” It may be recalled that Nobel Laureate Professor Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee has supported Lakshmir Bhandar as it has helped to rejuvenate the rural economy. Under the Swasthya Sathi scheme more than 2.45 crore families have been covered.
She said that the remuneration of ASHA and ICDA workers have been enhanced by Rs 1,000. They will get six months maternity leave and in case of death, their next of kin will get Rs 5 lakh. “These are central projects where the state government gives 40 per cent of the remuneration. But no step has ever been taken by the Centre to look after them,” she remarked.
The minister said Yuba Sathi and Yuvashree are two different schemes. The Opposition alleged in the Assembly that youth do not receive money under Yuvashree, but Rs 180 crore has already been disbursed under the scheme since its launch in 2013, benefiting around 12 lakh people, or roughly one lakh beneficiaries every year. Yuvashree has no time limit, whereas Yuba Sathi has a five-year time limit. Scholarships or educational stipends do not disqualify someone from Yuba Sathi, but receiving any other allowance does. Anyone receiving benefits under Yuvashree is not eligible for Yuba Sathi. Girls receiving scholarships, however, can avail Yuba Sathi.
Partha Bhowmik, Trinamul Congress MP alleged that after coming to power in Bihar, the BJP has stopped giving Rs 10,000 to the women which they gave before the election. Now, the BJP has called the amount as loan and asked its beneficiaries to repay the money, he alleged.