West Bengal Cabinet approves ₹50,000 higher education aid for unmarried women, check details

The West Bengal Cabinet has approved recruitment to 14,454 government posts, with the state government setting a target to complete the hiring process within six to eight months.

The Cabinet also cleared the Bhagini Nibedita Scheme, which will provide ₹50,000 in financial assistance over three years to unmarried women pursuing higher education.

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the decisions while briefing reporters at the state secretariat after a Cabinet meeting.

The newly sanctioned vacancies will be recruited through the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the State Police Recruitment Board. The posts will cover departments including forests, fire services, prisons, home and hill affairs.

“We had promised to provide one lakh government jobs in the state, and we are moving towards that goal,” Adhikari said.

He said the PSC is working at full strength to clear pending recruitment processes.

14,454 government posts to be filled

The government has given the PSC and State Police Recruitment Board six to eight months to complete examinations, appointments and other recruitment formalities for the newly approved vacancies.

Adhikari also criticized the previous Trinamool Congress government over delays in recruitment. He cited complications concerning Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificates and administrative issues as factors that affected the appointment process.

“During the previous Trinamool government, young people were deprived of jobs due to complications over OBC certificates and administrative failures,” he said.

On police recruitment, Adhikari said appointment-related procedures for around 12,000 posts would start on Oct 11. Around 5,000 candidates are expected to receive appointment letters at an event scheduled for the same day.

₹50,000 assistance for unmarried women

The Cabinet has approved the Bhagini Nibedita Scheme to financially support unmarried women who continue their higher education. The scheme is scheduled to take effect from January next year.

Eligible beneficiaries will receive ₹17,000 in each of the first two years and ₹16,000 in the third year, taking the total assistance to ₹50,000 over three years.

The financial support is intended to help unmarried women meet the costs associated with continuing their higher education.

Karmabandhu remuneration increased

The state government has also approved an increase in the monthly remuneration of Karmabandhus, who work as part-time contractual sanitation workers under the land and land revenue department.

Their monthly remuneration will increase from ₹5,000 to ₹8,000, effective from this month.

In another welfare measure, the Cabinet approved a higher monthly food allowance for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students living in government hostels. The allowance has been increased from ₹1,800 to ₹3,300 per month.

West Bengal to launch 112 emergency response number

The state government will launch the 112 emergency response number for the West Bengal Police on Oct 10, coinciding with Mahalaya.

As part of the rollout, 400 vehicles and 450 motorcycles will be provided to police stations across the state. The vehicles will be handed over at a program at Brigade Parade Ground.

The recruitment approvals and welfare measures come as the West Bengal government moves to expand government staffing, strengthen police infrastructure and increase financial support for students and other beneficiaries.