Suvendu Adhikari chairs 41-dept review at Nabanna on Wednesday
Synopsis
Just days after forming government, West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari has called a sweeping review of all 41 state departments at Nabanna — scrutinising 2026-27 budget spending patterns and drafting a mid-term blueprint. Combined with strict new office-hours rules, it signals a sharp administrative reset from day one.
Key Takeaways
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari chaired a review of 41 state government departments at Nabanna, Howrah on Wednesday, 14 May 2025 .
Five representatives per department, including departmental secretaries, attended the marathon session.
Key agenda: review of 2026-27 budgetary allotments and identification of wasteful versus urgent expenditure.
A six-month action plan and a two-year mid-term blueprint for the new government were to be prepared at the meeting.
After the first cabinet meeting on 11 May 2025 , strict attendance rules were issued — employees must be at work by 10:15 am and stay until 5:15 pm .
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday, 14 May 2025, chaired a high-stakes review meeting at Nabanna, the state secretariat located in Howrah district, to assess the functioning and performance of 41 state government departments. The marathon session is aimed at identifying functional lapses, streamlining expenditure, and charting a forward-looking blueprint for the new state government.
Scope of the Review
As many as five representatives from each of the 41 departments — including their respective departmental secretaries — were expected to be present at the meeting. According to sources within the state secretariat, the session was anticipated to run long given the breadth of departments under scrutiny and the depth of issues on the agenda.
The most critical agenda item, according to secretariat insiders, was a detailed discussion on budgetary allotments for the financial year 2026-27 and the spending patterns recorded so far. "From this pattern of spending, a broad outline might be charted out today about the areas where the expenditures should be expedited urgently and the areas where expenditures are wasteful and hence discarded," a state secretariat insider said.
Presentations by Departmental Secretaries
Departmental secretaries were also scheduled to make structured presentations before the Chief Minister, detailing the hurdles they have encountered in implementing various ongoing projects. This two-way exchange is intended to surface bottlenecks that may not be visible through routine administrative reporting.
"The meeting today is not just intended to review the functioning of the departments so far, but also intended to prepare a blueprint for future plans of the newly formed state government for the next six months. A 'mid-term' blueprint of what the new government wants to achieve in the next two years will also be prepared today," the insider added.
New Work Culture Directives
The review comes on the heels of strict guidelines issued after the first cabinet meeting on 11 May 2025, which mandated that all state government employees report to work by 10:15 am and not leave before 5:15 pm. Employees have also been directed not to remain outside their designated places of work unless assigned specific departmental duties elsewhere — a signal that the new administration intends to enforce workplace discipline from the outset.
This is among the most comprehensive departmental reviews undertaken early in a new state government's tenure in West Bengal, and its outcomes are likely to shape policy priorities and resource allocation for the months ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is CM Suvendu Adhikari reviewing 41 departments at Nabanna?
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari called the review to assess the functioning and performance of all 41 state government departments, identify lapses, and prepare a mid-term governance blueprint for the newly formed West Bengal government. The session also focused on 2026-27 budget spending patterns.
What is the main agenda of the Nabanna review meeting?
The primary agenda is a review of budgetary allotments for the financial year 2026-27, identifying areas of wasteful expenditure and those requiring urgent spending. Departmental secretaries also presented challenges faced in implementing ongoing projects.
What new work rules have been issued for West Bengal government employees?
Following the first cabinet meeting on 11 May 2025, all state government employees were directed to report to work by 10:15 am and not leave before 5:15 pm. They are also barred from remaining outside their workplace unless assigned specific departmental duties.
What is the mid-term blueprint being prepared at the meeting?
According to secretariat insiders, the meeting aimed to prepare a six-month action plan and a broader two-year mid-term blueprint outlining what the new state government intends to achieve across departments during its early tenure.
Where is Nabanna located and why is it significant?
Nabanna is the West Bengal state secretariat located in Howrah district, adjacent to Kolkata. It serves as the administrative nerve centre of the state government, where the Chief Minister and senior officials coordinate governance and policy decisions.
