Over the past several years, the implementation of several Central Government schemes in West Bengal has repeatedly become the focus of national discussion and scrutiny. Between 2020 and 2026, developments across sectors such as healthcare, rural employment, fisheries, women’s welfare and border infrastructure have drawn attention to persistent concerns about delays, administrative hurdles and allegations of limited coordination between the Union government and the state administration. These schemes were introduced to address key national priorities, including expanding healthcare access for economically weaker sections, providing employment security for migrant and rural workers, ensuring crop insurance coverage for farmers, and strengthening welfare mechanisms for women and children.
However, statements placed before Parliament, official replies from Union ministries and remarks by senior Union ministers have indicated that several of these initiatives either faced significant delays or were not implemented in West Bengal during the period under review.
The issue has also intersected with broader debates around governance, federal cooperation and development priorities within the state. Parliamentary responses and official government records have pointed to a range of concerns, including delays in land acquisition for national infrastructure projects, suspension of funds due to alleged irregularities in rural development programmes, and the absence or limited rollout of certain flagship schemes that operate in most other parts of the country. These developments span multiple sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, fisheries, border security, social welfare and employment generation, collectively reflecting a pattern of administrative challenges, policy disagreements and operational gaps that have continued to attract national attention.
The following section highlights nine key incidents between 2020 and 2026 that illustrate the delays and implementation challenges faced by various Central Government schemes in West Bengal.
1. Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Amit Shah During Parivartan Yatra
Hooghly (West Bengal), March 7 2026 (ANI): Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw accused the All India Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government of allegedly not supporting railway projects in the state.
Speaking with the media during a road show in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Parivartan Yatra on March 7, Vaishnaw said that only 27 per cent of the land required for railway projects has been acquired so far. He stated that the railway ministry would complete all projects if the state government provided adequate support.
“If we get state government support for railway projects, we will complete all the projects. The Bengal government does not provide any support. Only 27 percent of the land has been acquired. I can give many examples where the West Bengal government has not provided support,” Vaishnaw said.
Meanwhile, on March 3, Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the government led by Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal of engaging in appeasement politics, corruption and financial mismanagement while questioning allocations in the recently approved state budget.
Addressing a gathering at the ‘Parivartan Yatra Sabha’ in Mathurapur, Shah claimed that the TMC government was “only concerned about Madrasas”, which he said could not develop West Bengal.
“Just now, the budget of Bengal has been approved in the Vidhan Sabha. Mamata didi allocated Rs 80 crore for Science and technology, through which research and development takes place…for Madrasas, she has allotted Rs 5,700 crore. I have come to ask the TMC today, what is your agenda? They are not concerned about our sons and daughters. They are only concerned about Madrasas. This appeasement cannot develop Bengal,” Shah said.
The Union Home Minister also levelled allegations of corruption against the ruling TMC. “Today Bengal is in a debt of Rs 8 lakh crore. As soon as a new child is born, the debt of Rs 77,000 comes on them. As soon as the name of Bengal is mentioned, the image of a corrupt government is created in the country,” he said.
“I have come to tell you all about Mamata Banerjee’s corruption. She embezzled Rs 26,000 from the teachers’ salaries. Rs 20 crores were found in her associate’s house. Who did the teachers’ recruitment scam, SSC scam, municipal corporation recruitment scam, MNREGA scam, and PM Awas Yojana scam?” he asked.
The Parivartan Yatra is a statewide campaign ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. The campaign is expected to cover more than 5,000 km and include 63 major rallies and 282 smaller gatherings, culminating in a rally at Brigade Parade Ground addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
2. Sitharaman Alleges West Bengal Government Blocked Ayushman Bharat Scheme
New Delhi, December 08, 2025 (PTI): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticised the All India Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, alleging that its failure to implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme denied poor residents, including migrant workers, access to free treatment across the country.
Replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Sitharaman said Ayushman Bharat offers national portability, allowing migrant workers from West Bengal to access free treatment in any of the more than 32,000 networked hospitals across India.
“Staying out of the national framework, which is Ayushman Bharat, stifles the economic potential of West Bengal’s healthcare sector,” Sitharaman said. She further said that an estimated ₹785 crore would have been reaching West Bengal, but the state did not want it.
“If that money were put into the healthcare of the people, their own money could have been spent on anything else. But they didn’t because of their stubbornness, ultimately hurting the poor people of Bengal,” the minister said.
Sitharaman added that if West Bengal were integrated into the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana ecosystem, which supports crores of families across the country, Kolkata could have leveraged this patient volume to emerge as the primary medical hub for eastern and northeastern India, catalysing private infrastructure growth and modernisation.
West Bengal is the only state that has not implemented the Ayushman Bharat scheme. The state government has instead implemented Swasthya Sathi, an insurance initiative by the West Bengal government.
3. Centre Says West Bengal Did Not Implement Fisheries Scheme for Two Years
New Delhi, December 02, 2025 (PTI): The West Bengal government did not implement the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana central scheme for fisheries for two years and has spent only Rs 58.51 crore of the sanctioned amount, Union Minister for Fisheries Rajiv Ranjan Singh informed the Lok Sabha.
The PMMSY was launched by the Union Ministry of Fisheries to bring about ecologically healthy, economically viable and socially inclusive development of the fisheries sector in India.
According to the minister, for two years after the scheme was launched in the 2020–21 financial year, the West Bengal government did not cooperate with the Central government in implementing it.
He said that in the 2022-23 financial year, the West Bengal government accepted the scheme and sent proposals worth Rs 221 crore, of which proposals amounting to Rs 114 crore were approved by the Central government.
“Out of the sanctioned amount, just Rs 58.51 crore has been spent by the West Bengal government so far,” Singh said.
The minister said it is very difficult to implement any programme if a State government does not cooperate with the Central government.
“I personally visited West Bengal for review of the scheme. Only lower ranks officers of the State government attended the meeting and they had very little knowledge about the scheme,” he said.
The PMMSY aims to bring about a ‘Blue Revolution’ through sustainable and responsible development of the fisheries sector in India at a total investment of Rs 20,050 crore for holistic development of the fisheries sector.
The scheme has been implemented in all States and Union Territories for a period of five years from the 2020-21 financial year to the 2024-25 financial year.
4. Land Acquisition Delays Stall Indo-Bangladesh Border Fencing in West Bengal
New Delhi, August 20, 2025: The Government of India informed the Rajya Sabha that fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal remains pending for more than 450 km, largely due to delays in land acquisition.
The response came after Rajya Sabha MPs Shambhu Sharan Patel and Neeraj Shekhar asked the Ministry of Home Affairs about the extent of fencing along the border in West Bengal, delays in land acquisition, and whether the lack of fencing had contributed to increased infiltration and cross-border crimes.
Replying on behalf of the ministry, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that out of the total 2,216.7 km Indo–Bangladesh border in West Bengal, 1,647.697 km has been fenced.
He stated that a remaining 569.004 km stretch is pending. Of this, 112.780 km has been classified as non-feasible, while the remaining 456.224 km is feasible for fencing and other infrastructure works.
Rai said land acquisition remains a major obstacle to completing the project. According to the ministry, land for 77.935 km has been handed over, while acquisition for the remaining 378.289 km is incomplete.
Out of the remaining stretch, land acquisition for 148.971 km has not yet been initiated by the West Bengal government. For the balance 229.318 km, the process is at various stages. Of this, 31.019 km is awaiting State Cabinet approval, 181.635 km has been paid for but has not been handed over, 7.085 km is awaiting valuation by the state, and 9.579 km is pending payment by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The minister said the Centre has been holding regular meetings with the state government on the matter, conducting review visits and releasing payments on time, including for the 181.635 km already cleared.
Rai also provided statistics on infiltration and seizures recorded between January 1, 2023 and July 31, 2025 in West Bengal along the Indo-Bangladesh border.
During that period, 3,964 infiltrators were apprehended. Seizures included 13,863 kg of narcotics, over 20,000 cattle, more than 724,000 bottles of Phensedyl, 175,000 Yaba tablets, 375.8 kg of gold, and Fake Indian Currency Notes worth Rs 55.4 lakh.
5. Irregularities in MGNREGA and PMAY-G Implementation Led to Suspension of Funds
New Delhi, August 04, 2025: The Central Government allocated more than Rs 1.10 lakh crore to West Bengal since the 2014-15 financial year under various rural development schemes, including Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, National Rural Livelihoods Mission, National Social Assistance Programme and skill development programmes.
Investigations conducted between 2019 and 2022 found irregularities in the implementation of MGNREGA and PMAY-G. These included the absence of work at project sites, splitting of projects, misappropriation of funds and the selection of ineligible beneficiaries.
According to the findings, these irregularities led to the suspension of funds under MGNREGA in West Bengal under Section 27 of the Act.
6. West Bengal Did Not Implement Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme
New Delhi, February 07, 2025: The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, launched in 2015 to prevent gender-based sex selection and promote girls’ education and welfare, was fully funded by the Central Government.
The scheme aimed to improve the Sex Ratio at Birth, promote girls’ education and support initiatives such as Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana accounts and maternity benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
The West Bengal government was not implementing the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme.
7. West Bengal Failed to Implement Central Schemes to Address Crimes Against Women
New Delhi, August 28, 2024 (PTI): Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi said the situation of women in West Bengal has been “deteriorating” and criticised the government led by Mamata Banerjee for failing to implement Central government schemes such as fast-track courts and emergency helplines aimed at addressing crimes against women.
Devi told PTI that it was ironic that West Bengal is the only state in the country with a woman Chief Minister and said that “still the situation of women in the State is deteriorating”.
“There are States like West Bengal where we are trying to get the Central government schemes implemented but it is not happening. There are central government schemes, such as fast track special courts and POCSO courts, that have been established to deal with crimes against women and children but the State is lagging behind in it,” she said.
“We are sponsoring the scheme so you don’t have to spend money but the State has to implement it. We have been giving suggestions to the State to implement schemes related to women and children,” she added.
The minister said the Fast Track Special Courts Scheme allocated to West Bengal had not become operational in the state.
According to Devi, 752 fast-track special courts, including 409 exclusive Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act courts, are functioning across 30 states and Union Territories and have disposed of more than 2,53,000 cases since the scheme began. West Bengal was allocated 123 FTSCs under the scheme, including 20 dedicated POCSO courts and 103 combined FTSCs handling both rape and POCSO Act cases. She said none of these courts had become operational.
Devi also said the state had failed to implement key emergency helplines, including the Women Helpline, Emergency Response Support System and Child Helpline. She said these services are meant to provide immediate support to victims of violence but had not been implemented in West Bengal despite repeated reminders from the Centre.
The minister’s comments came amid protests in West Bengal following the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The Bharatiya Janata Party called for a 12-hour shutdown in the state, protesting police action against demonstrators during a march to the state secretariat.
Devi also referred to the upcoming Poshan Maah, celebrated annually in September. She said the observance this year would focus on the central government initiative Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi, launched to improve the capacity of anganwadi workers to provide early childhood care and education, nutrition and services to children under six years of age.
She added that under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign, anganwadis across the country had been advised to conduct plantation drives. The campaign was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 5 to mark World Environment Day, under which around 140 crore trees are planned to be planted across the country.
8. West Bengal Opted Out of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
New Delhi, March 14, 2023: The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, launched in 2016 to provide crop insurance coverage to farmers against crop loss, has been implemented by many states and Union Territories across India.
West Bengal had opted out of the scheme after implementing it for some seasons, citing reasons such as risk perception and financial considerations.
The scheme remained available for states to join voluntarily.
9. Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan Not Implemented in West Bengal Due to Lack of Data
New Delhi, September 21, 2020 (PTI): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan was not implemented in West Bengal because the state government did not provide data regarding migrant workers who returned to their native places during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the employment scheme for migrant workers on June 20.
Sitharaman made the statement while replying in the Lok Sabha after the issue related to migrant labourers in West Bengal was raised during Zero Hour by Leader of the Congress in the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
The minister said the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan was implemented in mission mode for 125 days in 116 districts across six states, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand and Odisha, which had received at least 25,000 returning migrant workers by May 30.
“West Bengal government did not provide any data about migrant workers… then how we can include West Bengal… We did not get information about whether over 25,000 migrant workers returned to any district,” Sitharaman said.
She added that it also needed to be considered whether the state had allowed migrant workers to return, referring to the state government’s initial opposition to trains carrying migrant workers back to their homes.
The minister said that after the launch of the scheme, some states such as Tripura and Chhattisgarh had demanded inclusion of additional districts, but the government could not include them.
The series of incidents spanning from 2020 to 2026 reflects an ongoing debate regarding the implementation of Central Government schemes in West Bengal. These developments cover a wide range of sectors including healthcare access, rural employment, fisheries development, border security, agricultural insurance, women’s welfare and infrastructure expansion. Parliamentary replies, ministerial statements and official records have repeatedly highlighted delays, administrative obstacles and policy differences affecting the execution of these initiatives.
Central schemes are designed to function through cooperative federalism, where the Union Government provides funding, policy frameworks and administrative support while state governments play a key role in on-ground implementation. When this coordination faces obstacles, the intended benefits for citizens, particularly farmers, women, workers and economically weaker sections may be affected. The incidents documented above demonstrate how administrative delays, non-participation in national programmes and implementation irregularities can influence the delivery of welfare initiatives.
As India continues to pursue inclusive growth and social welfare expansion, effective collaboration between the Centre and states remains essential. The issues highlighted in these cases underline the broader importance of transparent governance, timely implementation and accountability in ensuring that development schemes reach the people they are meant to serve.
