Rs 3,000 for jobless graduates, free bus rides for women in BJP's Bengal budget

West Bengal Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta on Monday presented the state government’s first full budget in the Legislative Assembly, announcing a range of social welfare measures, infrastructure projects, and recruitment commitments.

He announced the Bharosa Scheme for unemployed people aged 21 to 45 years. Under the scheme, graduates not having a job will be entitled to financial assistance of 3,000 per month. Meanwhile, unemployed non-graduates will receive 2,000 per month, the minister said.

He also announced the allocation of Rs 550 crore for the provision of free bus travel to women.

He also allocated Rs 36,000 crore for women's financial assistance scheme Annapurna Yojna. The Finance Minister further said that north Bengal will soon get its first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM).

Dasgupta also announced that 1,000–1,500 acres of land will be identified by the state government for the construction of a greenfield airport in Kalyani in order to reduce passenger congestion at the Kolkata airport.

Declaring a major push to expand the network of airports in the state, he further said that Purulia, Balurghat, Malda will get new airports under the Centre's UDAAN scheme. Moreover, the Cooch Behar airport will be expanded, the minister added.

He also announced recruitment drives to fill up 20,000 vacant police posts and 50,000 teaching posts across Bengal. Dasgupta also said that retired journalists will be entitled to Rs 5,000 monthly pension.

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(With inputs from PTI)