Kolkata, June 25: West Bengal‘s Finance Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, stated that the BJP government inherited a “heavily indebted and unusual situation” from the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration. However, the government is striving to transform this into a “rapidly growing market economy.”
In an exclusive interview following the presentation of the state budget for 2026-27, Adhikari addressed long-standing challenges, key focus areas, and future prospects. Here are the highlights from the conversation.
Question: Can you tell us about the preparation for West Bengal’s budget, especially since it is the first budget of the BJP government in the state?
Answer: I felt a bit anxious because we didn’t want a budget that was overly bureaucratic or too political, overshadowing the entire process. A balance was necessary, and I believe we achieved that. We inherited a massive debt of ₹8 lakh crore. How do we repay this and fulfill the associated responsibilities? There are two ways to approach this. First, which I believe is crucial and often overlooked, is that West Bengal has ignored almost all central schemes and projects for the past 15 years, or at least the last decade. Many officials were unaware of the benefits the state could have received from central projects. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted several aspects that the state was not aware of. This proved to be a significant advantage for us.
Secondly, improving compliance with regulations is vital. On Tuesday, the Chief Minister discussed the significant increase in sand and mining issues in Birbhum district. That area was left entirely to looters, leading to rampant exploitation. Royalty payments were not being made; perhaps only one out of eight trucks leaving the area was paying. This was large-scale looting. We are now trying to curb this using detection technology, but it will take time. We inherited a state filled with complaints. Everyone had grievances—government employees, students, parents, and teachers were troubled by recruitment issues, while traders were frustrated with the ‘syndicate raj.’ People were planning to leave the state. We had to address these complaints. We are working to normalize a situation that had become entirely abnormal. This budget should be viewed as a political step to regain the trust of the people of Bengal and beyond. Many reforms were made with the understanding that after Singur, industrialists lost faith in the state. The common perception was that doing business in Bengal was very difficult. We needed to change that mindset. I stated that our government would be business-friendly. We plan to implement a new industrial policy as soon as possible. We are racing against time. We have lost 50 years, and we are trying to make up for it.
Question: What is the government’s plan to bring businesses and industries back to the state?
Answer: No one wants to consider a state as unviable. When we won the elections, people felt relieved that conditions would not worsen. We are telling investors to come here; it will be reliable. I am confident that Bengal is not a new place in the country. Many have started industries in Bengal. They will assess the situation, and if we meet expectations, it will gain momentum.
Question: What are the government’s plans for infrastructure development in the state?
Answer: The issue of ports is long-term and requires investment. There is a freight corridor from Ludhiana to Dankuni that ends in Bihar. The previous government did not approve it. We are working with determination to complete it. We have already announced a review of the Urban Land (Ceiling and Regulation) Act of 1976 to improve land availability for projects. I believe this old law is a remnant of the socialist era and should be abolished. There is land that, despite being allocated for industries, is not being utilized. Why are we building shopping malls on such land? It would be better used for industrial development. We want people to be excited about what can happen in Bengal. We have always been the ‘Gateway of the East,’ but we fell behind after 1966 when the Left came to power and militant trade union activities began. Some say this decline was exacerbated by the TMC’s actions, which completed the damage. Companies are reaching out. Many have personally spoken to me and the Chief Minister. We will bring all our preparations together and then start. There will be no summit until we are fully prepared. I am not saying to cancel the ‘Bengal Global Business Summit,’ but it is not a priority. It had become a joke. People are assessing the situation. They want to invest.
Question: How will you manage the revenue from alcohol sales?
Answer: The situation with alcohol had spiraled out of control. It became a social issue. Women were complaining about liquor shops in residential areas, and people were drinking openly. There is currently a heavy reliance on alcohol. We want to change that. Our goal is to become the fastest-growing state in the country, with the highest growth rate. We aim to accelerate the pace of development and contribute to the national economy.
Question: There is controversy regarding the BJP government’s decision to implement the mid-day meal scheme through ISKCON, which will not include eggs?
Answer: This matter could be sensitive, but we want to manage it well. ISKCON can adjust its menu to suit Bengali tastes. It will work, but asking them to serve eggs is not appropriate. If any issues arise, we will address them. The existing ‘Maa Kitchen’ is already serving eggs and fish. It is not that we are against vegetarianism or anything of that sort.
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