Bengal’s BJP government is all set to present its first full Budget on Monday, offering the clearest indication yet of how the new administration intends to govern after its landmark victory ended 15 years of Trinamool Congress rule in the State. Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta will table the 2026-27 Budget in the Assembly, with the government expected to focus on welfare delivery, industrial growth, employment generation and fiscal discipline amid mounting debt pressures.
According to reports, the Budget is expected to focus on balancing welfare commitments with fiscal prudence. While the administration is likely to honour key promises made during the Assembly election campaign, it is also expected to introduce measures aimed at reducing fiscal stress in one of India's most heavily indebted States.
Industry, investment and employment generation are expected to feature prominently in the Budget. Officials have suggested that the government intends to gradually shift emphasis from cash-transfer-based welfare programmes towards industrial expansion, job creation and revenue mobilisation, while maintaining expenditure on critical social welfare sectors.
"The major challenge is to raise revenue without raising taxes," Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta had told PTI after assuming office.
The government's revenue strategy is expected to focus on administrative reforms rather than fresh taxation. Measures under consideration reportedly include the introduction of transparent e-auction systems for sand and minor mineral extraction, monetisation and long-term leasing of surplus government land, and stricter enforcement against GST evasion.
At the same time, social sector spending is unlikely to witness any substantial reduction. A senior Finance Department official indicated that welfare expenditure would continue to remain a significant component of the State's budgetary framework.
The BJP government has already begun replacing the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme introduced by the previous Trinamool Congress administration with the Annapurna Yojana, under which beneficiaries are entitled to higher monthly financial assistance.
The Budget will also be framed against the backdrop of the State's existing financial commitments. In its interim Budget earlier this year, the previous government had projected total expenditure of ₹4.06 lakh crore, including ₹1.68 lakh crore earmarked for the social sector. More than ₹42,000 crore had been allocated to the Women and Child Development and Social Welfare Department, with a significant portion linked to the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.
Apart from welfare and revenue measures, the government is expected to unveil a medium-term fiscal roadmap aimed at improving the State's financial position. The roadmap could include plans to reduce the fiscal deficit over the next three to five years and explore mechanisms for restructuring costly legacy debt through a dedicated debt management framework.
