Govt's focus on education: Bengal ends religious allowances for imams, purohits

The Bengal government's latest cabinet decisions have triggered sharp political debate, with religious stipends scrapped, women-focused welfare expanded and Suvendu Adhikari pushing a governance model centred on "no appeasement" and direct outreach.

In Short

• The second cabinet meeting cleared major welfare and policy decisions
• Annapurna Yojana will give eligible women Rs 3,000 assistance from June 1
• Lakshmi Bhandar beneficiaries will be included automatically, while others use a portal

The West Bengal government on Monday decided to discontinue religion-based stipend schemes for imams and purohits (Hindu priests), with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari saying public money should be spent on education rather than religious allowances.

The decision was taken during the BJP government’s second cabinet meeting, which also approved a new financial assistance scheme for women and free bus travel for women across the state.

Addressing the media after the meeting, Adhikari defended the move and said the funds would now be redirected towards merit-based scholarships open to students from all communities and political backgrounds.

“Should the government focus on paying stipends to imams and priests, or should it focus on education? Today, the cabinet has ended all religious stipends,” Adhikari said.

“The money from these allowances will now go towards the Vivekananda Meritorious Scholarship. Any student can receive it. Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, BJP supporter, TMC supporter or CPM supporter. There will be no appeasement,” he added.

STIPEND SCHEMES TO BE PHASED OUT

Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul said the cabinet had approved phasing out religion-based assistance schemes operated under the Madrasa Department and the Information and Cultural Department.

The schemes will continue till the end of the month before being formally withdrawn.

While the government did not specifically name the programmes, West Bengal had earlier provided a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000 to imams and Rs 2,000 to purohits.

The imam allowance was introduced in 2012, shortly after the Trinamool Congress came to power under Mamata Banerjee. Financial assistance for priests was launched in September 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown period.

The BJP government has framed the rollback as part of a wider policy shift towards welfare measures without religious distinction.

In another major decision during the cabinet meeting, the West Bengal government decided to scrap the fresh list of communities added to the OBC category between 2010 and 2024. A large number of the additions were from the Muslim community and had been declared unconstitutional and illegal in a 2024 Calcutta High Court ruling.

The government also withdrew the sub-categorisation system introduced by the Mamata Banerjee administration.

WOMEN’S WELFARE MEASURES APPROVED

The cabinet also approved the “Annapurna Yojana”, under which women across the state will receive Rs 3,000 financial assistance from June 1.

The scheme was one of the BJP’s major election promises in West Bengal.

Women already receiving benefits under the Lakshmi Bhandar scheme will automatically be brought under the programme, while a separate online portal will be launched for those not currently covered.

The government also cleared free bus travel for women across West Bengal from June 1.

The announcements appeared aimed at balancing the politically sensitive decision on religious stipends with broader welfare outreach targeting women voters.

SUVENDU HOLDS FIRST JANATA DARBAR

Earlier in the day, Adhikari held his first janata darbar after taking office as Chief Minister on May 9.

The public grievance session took place at a BJP office in Salt Lake, where students and residents met the Chief Minister with complaints and requests.

According to BJP leaders, such public hearings will now become a regular feature of the administration.

The BJP also used the occasion to showcase the government’s first-week decisions and administrative measures.

In a post on X, the party said, “What West Bengal under TMC couldn’t deliver in 15 years, the Double Engine Government has started showing in its very first week. This is the new West Bengal and the speed of real governance.”

The janata darbar format has previously been used by leaders such as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a direct public outreach mechanism.

With the latest cabinet decisions, the BJP government has signalled that welfare delivery, governance messaging and ideological positioning will remain central to its political strategy in West Bengal.

- Ends
Inputs from PTI