Bengal starts Rs 1,500/month grant for unemployed Class X pass-outs

The TMC supremo made the announcement on the eve of International Women’s Day, which is observed on March 8, on the second day of her sit-in against the “large-scale deletion of voters’ names” by the Election Commission during the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

She said young men and women aged between 21 and 40 years - who have passed the secondary exams - will receive Rs 1,500 per month from March 7.

“We had earlier stated that the money would be given on April 1. But since tomorrow is International Women’s Day, as a gift, we have changed the payment date from April 1 to today (March 7),” she said.

Around 1 crore people aged between 21 and 40 years have applied for this scheme, she said, adding that these people were not beneficiaries of any other schemes, except scholarships.

The CM further claimed that the unemployment rate in Bengal had decreased by 40 per cent. “We have provided skill training to at least 40 lakh people, of which around 10 lakh are already employed,” she added.

Speaking at her ongoing dharna, Banerjee cited pressure from the Centre for the sudden resignation of CV Ananda Bose from Lok Bhavan. She further claimed that incoming Governor RN Ravi was closely aligned with the BJP.

The West Bengal CM said the BJP-led Centre was trying to turn Lok Bhavan into a political base ahead of the elections. She told supporters that the developments surrounding Bose’s departure raised serious questions and suggested that he had been compelled to step down under pressure from New Delhi.

She alleged that plans were being made to distribute money from there during the campaign period. However, she indicated that not everyone would agree to such demands.

The Trinamool Congress chief also criticised Ravi, who is currently serving as the Governor of Tamil Nadu and has been named as Bose’s successor in West Bengal.

Without referring to specific cases, Banerjee said the incoming Governor had faced critical observations from the Supreme Court during his tenure elsewhere. She said that West Bengal had its own political culture and suggested that approaches followed in other states would not necessarily work there.

Banerjee further accused the Centre of undermining constitutional institutions by frequently changing Governors and not allowing them to complete their terms. She also referred to the case of former West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who later became the Vice-President.

In a sharp remark directed at the Centre, Banerjee compared its functioning to the rule of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, a historical figure often cited in political discourse to criticise arbitrary decision-making. She said attempts to intimidate political opponents would be resisted and warned that such actions could ultimately weaken the BJP at the national level.

The Chief Minister’s remarks came days after Bose resigned from his post in New Delhi on Thursday evening, triggering intense political speculation in West Bengal just before the expected announcement of the Assembly election schedule by the Election Commission.

Shortly after Bose’s resignation, Banerjee had said that Home Minister Amit Shah had informed her that Ravi would be appointed as the new Governor of West Bengal. However, Ravi has not formally assumed the charge yet.

(With PTI Inputs)