Bengal govt ends religious honorarium schemes, launches Rs 3,000 Annapurna aid

Kolkata, May 18 (PTI) The West Bengal cabinet on Monday decided that assistance-oriented schemes currently in place based on religious categorisation for Imams, muezzins and purohits would be discontinued from June this year.

The honorariums under the departments of Information and Cultural Affairs and the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education for the religious leaders were aimed at supporting their socio-economic standing, as per a notification of the erstwhile TMC-led government in the state.

“The cabinet has approved the discontinuation of schemes based on religious categorisation. A notification on this will be issued,” Women, Child and Social Welfare Minister Agnimitra Paul said, indicating that the existing state budgetary allocations for the scheme could be scrapped.

She added that none of the existing scholarship schemes for students would be discontinued.

Following a Rs 500 hike in honorarium for religious leaders by the erstwhile Mamata Banerjee government in March this year, Imams of registered mosques in Bengal were granted a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000 while muezzins and purohits were provided Rs 2,000.

Acting on the BJP’s pre-poll promises of enhanced financial assistance for the women of West Bengal, the cabinet approved the 'Annapurna' scheme of Rs 3,000 monthly support to them from June 1, and granted in-principle consent for their free travel in state-run buses.

Addressing a press conference after the second cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Paul announced the scrapping of the existing state OBC list based on a Calcutta High Court judgment.

The minister also announced the cabinet approval for the constitution of the Seventh State Pay Commission to revise the salary structure of government employees.

She, however, confirmed that the issue of granting increased dearness allowance (DA) to state employees was not on the agenda of Monday’s meeting.

"The cabinet gave its in-principle nod to the 'Annapurna' scheme of Rs 3,000 monthly assistance to women from June 1. Those who are currently receiving the assistance under the previous government’s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme will be automatically entitled to the Annapurna Yojna. There is no need to reapply for it. Money will be sent through direct bank transfer,” Paul said.

She announced that the government would soon launch a web portal to facilitate fresh applications for the programme for those who had yet to receive the assistance.

“Women, who applied for citizenship under the CAA and those who approached the tribunals for inclusion of names in voter rolls will also be entitled to receive the Annapurna scheme benefit,” the minister clarified.

Paul said that the cabinet approved a proposal to allow free travel for women in government-run buses from June 1, but added there were no immediate plans to increase the fleet size.

Paul announced the constitution of the Seventh State Pay Commission for upward revision of salaries of its employees, stating that the scope of pay hike would also extend to the staff of statutory entities like civic bodies, local bodies, education boards and those working in state-run education institutions.

“The details of the commission’s set-up will be duly notified,” she said, without specifying its date of implementation.

In his pre-election campaigns, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged that the new pay commission would be implemented within 45 days of the formation of the BJP government in Bengal.

Announcing yet another significant decision of the cabinet, Paul said that the new BJP government would cancel the existing OBC list of the state in accordance with a 2024 Calcutta High Court judgment.

“The cabinet has decided for a revision of the state list of the OBCs, in cancellation of such categorisation of classes in such list and percentage of reservation for OBCs in the services and posts under the Government of West Bengal, as per the judgment of a division bench of the Calcutta High Court on May 22, 2024,” Paul said.

The minister announced that the state will set up a panel to decide quota eligibility under the OBC category.

The state’s OBC list controversy revolves around the inclusion of 77 communities, 75 of which are Muslim, into the state's Other Backward Classes (OBC) list, which was initiated during the TMC regime.

The decision sparked major political and legal battles, with the Calcutta High Court striking down the notice and invalidating nearly 5 lakh caste certificates issued by the state since 2010. PTI