Fish-rice at ₹5, liquor curbs near schools: Suvendu Adhikari's big announcements

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday announced a series of welfare measures, including ₹5 fish-rice meals at hundreds of canteens, ₹3,000 monthly financial assistance for women under the Annapurna Yojana, and new restrictions on liquor shops near schools, colleges, and places of worship.

Speaking after an administrative meeting in Kalyani, Adhikari said forms for the Annapurna Yojana would begin being issued from May 27. "Annapurna Yojana forms will be issued from the state secretariat from tomorrow. All Indians are eligible to receive benefits under the scheme," he said.

Under the scheme, eligible women will receive ₹3,000 every month.

Adhikari also announced that the state government would introduce subsidised fish-rice meals, or maach bhaat, at around 400 dedicated canteens. The meals will be available twice a week at a price of ₹5.

The chief minister said his government had also decided to bar liquor shops from operating within a one-kilometre radius of schools, colleges, and religious institutions.

In another announcement, he said the government would create a separate AYUSH department by delinking it from the health department.

The announcements came as the government stepped up a series of administrative outreach meetings across districts aimed at improving coordination between elected representatives and officials.

“We had earlier held a meeting in Durgapur covering Bankura, East Bardhaman, and West Bardhaman. Today, we held a meeting here focusing on Nadia, North 24 Parganas, and Hooghly. Similar meetings will be held in Malda covering Murshidabad, Uttar Dinajpur, and Dakshin Dinajpur,” Adhikari said.

The chief minister added that another meeting would be held in Kolaghat covering East Medinipur, West Medinipur, Jhargram, and Howrah. “Our main focus has been short-term coordination between elected MLAs and the administration,” he said.

Adhikari said the outreach exercise was intended to communicate the government's priorities and governing vision to every level of the administration. “A new system has been introduced where it is not the rule of the ruler, but the rule of law,” he said.