West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday, 3 November 2026, convened an emergency review meeting with block development officers (BDOs) from across the state to assess the on-ground progress of the 125-day rural employment scheme, amid a stream of complaints reaching the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) about sluggish implementation at the district and panchayat levels.

Key Developments

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 11 am at the headquarters of the West Bengal Panchayat Affairs and Rural Development Department in Salt Lake, on the northern outskirts of Kolkata. Along with the Chief Minister, state Panchayat Affairs and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh and Minister of State Santanu Pramanik are also expected to attend, according to state secretariat sources.

During the session, Adhikari is expected to seek block-wise and district-wise details of projects taken up under the rural employment guarantee framework. BDOs from blocks where implementation has been slow will reportedly be asked to explain the delays and the administrative shortcomings behind them.

What Prompted the Emergency Review

This meeting follows a broader review that Adhikari had convened last week with departmental secretaries, principal secretaries and additional chief secretaries. Delays and inadequate progress in several blocks had figured prominently in that discussion, according to sources. The Chief Minister has since chosen to bypass the bureaucratic chain and interact directly with field-level officers to obtain first-hand information about ground conditions.

'Following that meeting, the Chief Minister decided to interact directly with the BDOs to obtain first-hand information about the ground situation. He has also made it clear to the senior bureaucrats heading various departments that any laxity in implementing the rural employment scheme will not be tolerated,' a state secretariat insider said.

About the 125-Day VG-RAM-G Scheme

Following the change of government in West Bengal after the state Assembly elections earlier this year, the state was brought under the Centre's Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), commonly referred to as VG-RAM-G. The scheme provides for 125 days of guaranteed rural employment annually — an increase from the earlier entitlement of 100 days — and came into effect in West Bengal on 1 July 2026. Despite being operational for over four months, complaints of delayed and inadequate execution have continued to reach the CMO.

What the Government Said

'Despite the new arrangement coming into effect, there have been reports of shortcomings in its execution. The Chief Minister has, therefore, decided to intervene personally and review the progress,' sources at the state secretariat said. Adhikari's decision to meet BDOs directly — rather than relying solely on senior officers — signals the administration's concern that implementation gaps are not being adequately addressed through conventional channels.

What Happens Next

The outcome of Wednesday's meeting is likely to set the tone for accountability measures at the block level, with officials in underperforming blocks under particular scrutiny. If the review uncovers systemic failures, targeted administrative action against BDOs or district officials cannot be ruled out. With winter work seasons typically being critical for rural employment delivery, pressure on the state machinery is expected to intensify in the coming weeks.