The West Bengal BJP government on Monday held its second Cabinet meeting under the leadership of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, where it took several key decisions including a monthly assistance of Rs 3,000 to women under the Annapurna Bhandar scheme, free travel for women in all state-run buses.

State Women and Child Welfare Minister Agnimitra Paul said women currently receiving benefits under Lakshmir Bhandar will be shifted to the new scheme through direct bank transfers. She added that those who have not yet enrolled would be able to apply once the portal opens on June 1. Applicants under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) process and those who have approached tribunals will also be eligible for the scheme, she said.

The Cabinet also decided to discontinue all welfare schemes based on religious classification. Paul said assistance schemes run by the Information and Culture Department and the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department would continue till this month and be stopped from next month. A detailed notification will be issued soon, she added.

Sources in the Minority Affairs Department said allowances for imams, muezzins and purohits introduced during the Mamata Banerjee government would be discontinued with immediate effect.

Another major decision taken at the meeting was the cancellation of the existing OBC reservation list with immediate effect. The Cabinet decided to revise reservation percentages for OBCs in jobs and government posts, review the state OBC list and abolish sub-categories. “There will be a fresh enquiry. The state government will take a decision on the groups proposed to be merged as per the High Court order,” Paul said.

The minister also announced that the government had decided to constitute the Seventh Pay Commission, fulfilling a key BJP poll promise. She said a policy decision in this regard had been approved by the Cabinet earlier.