Last Updated on June 22, 2026 5:09 pm by BIZNAMA NEWS
Our Correspondent / Kolkata
In a significant move to boost employment and welfare, the West Bengal government has announced a massive recruitment drive to fill 1,00,000 vacant posts across various state departments. The announcement was made today by Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta during the presentation of the state’s first full budget for the fiscal year 2026-27.
The Budget also provided major relief to state government employees and pensioners. Dearness Allowance for state employees has been increased by 20 percentage points, taking the total DA to 38 per cent with effect from the first of October this year. Pensioners will also receive a similar 20 percentage point increase in Dearness Relief. The monthly honorarium of Civic Volunteers, Home Guards, Green Police personnel and NVM workers has been enhanced by two thousand rupees.
On the welfare front, the government has earmarked 36 thousand crore rupees for the Annapurna Scheme. A new allowance, Sangrami Bhata, has also been introduced for individuals who allegedly faced false politically motivated cases because of their political beliefs. To strengthen local development initiatives, the MLA Local Area Development Fund has been increased from 70 lakh rupees to one crore rupees per constituency.
In the infrastructure sector, the state government has proposed a new greenfield airport for the Kolkata region near Kalyani and plans to identify between one thousand and fifteen hundred acres of land for the project. Regional airports have also been proposed in Purulia, Balurghat and Malda.
The Budget further proposes handing over 25 acres of land to the Hasimara Air Force Station and 37 acres to the Kalaikunda Air Force Station to facilitate expansion and development of the two key defence facilities.
Key Highlights of the Recruitment Drive
- Major Boost for Women: To promote gender inclusivity, 33% of all new positions will be strictly reserved for women.
- Focus on Education & Security:
- 50,000 posts are dedicated to teachers and educational staff.
- 20,000 appointments will be made within the State Police Department.
- Age Relaxation Extended: In a major relief for job seekers, the government is extending the existing 5-year upper age limit relaxation by an additional 2 years.
- Quota for Agniveers: A 10% job reservation has been introduced for Agniveers in applicable state government sectors.
This budget marks a definitive shift toward addressing youth unemployment and strengthening public service sectors like education and law enforcement across West Bengal.