Page 31 - West Bengal

MGNREGA verdict in, but tug of war between Centre, state lingers in Bengal

Even as both the TMC and the BJP claim 'victory' after the Calcutta HC's order on resumption of MGNREGA in the state, political fault lines are likely to widen before Assembly polls next year

Bengal may lose ₹25 cr GST as SBI shifts key unit from Kolkata to Mumbai

Kolkata faces a potential state GST loss of nearly Rs 25 crore this fiscal year as the State Bank of India (SBI) moves to relocate its Global Market Unit (GMU) from Kolkata to Mumbai, a civil society organisation has claimed. This proposed shift has drawn protests from civil society groups like Bank Bachao Desh Bachao Manch (Save Bank, Save Nation Platform), describing SBI's decision as "arbitrary and opaque". "The GMU and associated units contribute significantly to state revenues via GST, nearly Rs 25 crore this fiscal year. Additionally, over 70 contractual staff stand to lose their jobs," Bank Bachao Desh Bachao Manch joint convenors Biswaranjan Ray and Soumya Datta said in a complaint. The State Bank of India recently stated that decisions regarding the opening, shifting, or rationalisation of branches and offices are part of an ongoing business process based on evolving operational and administrative needs. This explanation was provided by the Deputy General Manager ...

Centre reviews HC order to resume MGNREGA in West Bengal from August 1

Kolkata High Court asks Centre to restart MGNREGA in West Bengal with safeguards against corruption, prompting review of legal and procedural steps

WBCAP 2025 registration begins for UG admission; know how to apply & more

WBCAP UG 2025 registration window has been activated. Students seeking UG admission can submit their application forms by visiting the official website at wbcap.in. The last date is July 1, 2025

WB Madhyamik 2025: PPR PPS result out, 9 new toppers in top 10; know more

The WBBSE has officially released the Madhyamik PPR/PPS result 2025 today. 9 new students are now in the top 10 merit list. Exams were held between Feb 10 to 22, 2025, from 10:45 AM to 1:00 PM

Calcutta HC grants interim stay on WB's OBC list notification till Jul 31

The bench warned that the executive cannot bypass legislative procedures, stating that half the process was followed and the rest done unilaterally

Bengal govt's shift from industry incentives sparks business concern

Incentives - or the lack thereof and outstanding dues - have long been a pet peeve of the industry

NU Vista moves court against West Bengal's incentive scheme rollback

On account of the Revocation Act, the incentives of ₹427.14 crore and ₹300.44 crore to be received by the company and NU Vista Limited, respectively, are likely to be impacted, Nuvoco mentioned

Police prevents BJP leaders from visiting violence-hit Bengal's Maheshtala

West Bengal BJP leaders led by state unit president Sukanta Majumdar were prevented by the police from visiting violence-hit Maheshtala in South 24 Parganas district on Thursday, a day after the area witnessed group clashes. Union minister Majumdar and other leaders were stopped by police enroute to Maheshtala, following which they held a protest in Kolkata's Kalighat area near the residence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when they were detained and released later. In a post on X, Majumdar said, "Just yesterday, the same @WBPolice were forced to wave white cloths in surrender before radical jihadists in Rabindranagar -- spineless, helpless, and humiliated. And today, suddenly, they appear to be warriors -- zealously following Chief Minister @MamataOfficial's orders with blind obedience, immersed in servitude!" "Today, as we moved toward Maheshtala to stand beside the attacked Hindus, the administration blocked our path citing Section 163. And when we later went to Kalighat, to th

The Bengal Files teaser out: Vivek Agnihotri explores Bengal's 'dark past'

Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri's film, The Bengal Files: Right to Life, explores Bengal's turbulent past and releases in theatres nationwide on September 5, 2025

Vehicles torched, cops injured in Bengal: What triggered the chaos?

Five police officers were injured and vehicles set ablaze in West Bengal's Maheshtala after a land dispute led to violent clashes; patrols have since been intensified

Smart meters will be normal, consumers to pay bills every 3 months: WB govt

Days after halting the installation of prepaid smart meters in homes across the state, West Bengal Power Minister Arup Biswas on Wednesday said the gadgets already installed would be treated as normal ones, and consumers would have to pay their electricity bills every three months. Biswas claimed that the decision to install the meters for domestic power consumers was a directive from the central government. He thanked Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for suspending the programme after widespread public protests. "The installation of prepaid smart meters for domestic power consumers was forcefully imposed. I would like to thank the Chief Minister for halting the programme," he said. "All the smart meters that have already been installed will now be treated as normal meters, and consumers will have to pay bills once every three months," he added. On Monday, Banerjee halted the installation of the meters in homes after facing stiff resistance and mass protests in several districts ove

Backwardness only benchmark to decide OBC status, not religion: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday told the state Assembly that backwardness is the only benchmark to decide the OBC status of people. Maintaining that a disinformation campaign is continuing on social media by some quarters, she asserted that there is no connection with religion in deciding the inclusion of any person in the OBC category. Noting that the only benchmark for deciding OBC status in the state is backwardness, Banerjee said that a commission set up by the government is holding a survey on 50 new subsections for inclusion in that category. The chief minister said that 49 subsections have been included under the OBC-A and 91 under OBC-B categories. She said that while more backward sections of people have been included under OBC-A, the less backward people come under OBC-B. The chief minister addressed the House after laying the annual report of the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes for the financial year 2024-25. Banerjee said that all ...

Bangladesh protester found on Bengal voter list, BJP-TMC trade blows

A man seen in Bangladesh's 2024 protests is now on Bengal's voter list, sparking BJP-TMC clashes over infiltration, fake documents, and electoral fraud

Sacked teachers head from West Bengal to Delhi to attend SC hearing

Around 25,753 teaching and non-teaching staff in West Bengal lost their jobs because of alleged corruption in various examinations conducted by the state's School Service Commission

Visit Bengal to see real democracy under Mamata: Sukanta Majumdar to Rahul

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had alleged that the Maharashtra Assembly election held in November 2024 was "rigged", and claimed that the same will be repeated in Bihar Assembly polls due later this year

TMC mob attack on Hindu family a 'grave attack on democracy': Supreme Court

The Supreme Court cancelled the bail of six TMC workers, calling their mob attack on a BJP-supporting Hindu family a grave assault on democracy's very roots

Bengal cabinet clears addition of 76 castes to OBC list, new subdivision

The cabinet on Monday approved recommendations of the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes (WBCBC) to include 76 new castes on the list for OBC, an official said. These 76 new castes would be added to the existing 64 ethnic groups on the Other Backward Class (OBC) list in the state, he said. The cabinet also gave its nod to a proposal to make Farakka a new subdivision in Murshidabad district, he said. It was learned that the new subdivision would be constituted of Farakka, Shamsherganj, Suti-1 and Suti-2 blocks, he said. Earlier, these four blocks were part of the Jangipur subdivision. "Due to the growing population, the Jangipur subdivision authorities were facing difficulties in executing administrative work in the vast area. Hence, the decision was taken," the official told PTI. A source in Nabanna, the state secretariat, said that the council of ministers approved a decision to initiate a tendering process again to invite fresh bids for the proposed Rs 25,000-crore Ta

Mamata opposing Op Sindoor to appease muslim vote bank Amit Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a blistering attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of “stooping low” by opposing Operation Sindoor.

Amit Shah to arrive in Kolkata today for West Bengal's two-day visit

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Kolkata on Saturday night for a two-day visit to West Bengal, marking his first trip to the state after the success of 'Operation Sindoor'. Shah is scheduled to attend a series of official and party programmes on Sunday. According to the official itinerary, the Home minister will begin his day with the inauguration of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Rajarhat, on the outskirts of Kolkata. Later in the day, Shah will address BJP leaders and functionaries at a party convention at the Netaji Indoor Stadium. Party insiders said the meeting is expected to focus on the BJP's roadmap for West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. "Amit Shah Ji will give us a roadmap for the next assembly polls in the state," BJP state president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said. Shah will also pay a visit to the ancestral home of Swami Vivekananda at Simla Street in north Kolkata. This is Shah's first visit to West Bengal since