Kolkata, 6 May — The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s rise to power in West Bengal, ending 15 years of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule under outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has opened the door for a range of centrally-sponsored schemes that had been stalled or partially implemented in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pledged full implementation of these schemes during his pre-election rallies in the state.

The BJP secured 207 seats in the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly, while the TMC's tally fell sharply to 80 seats from the 215 it had won in 2021. The scale of the mandate gives the new administration a clear runway to align state policy with central programmes that were previously resisted.

Why Central Schemes Were Blocked

Under the Banerjee-led Cabinet, several Union government programmes were not adopted in their full form, reportedly because the state government preferred to promote its own parallel welfare schemes. Critics argued that this approach, while delivering state-branded benefits, left West Bengal residents without access to the broader financial support available under national programmes. This is now set to change under what BJP leaders describe as a "double engine government" — aligned administrations at both the state and Centre.

Ayushman Bharat: The Flagship Rollout

The most prominent scheme awaiting implementation is Ayushman Bharat, the Union government's flagship health insurance programme. The Banerjee Cabinet had declined to adopt it, citing the existence of Swasthya Sathi, the state's own health insurance scheme. A key distinction, however, is that Swasthya Sathi's jurisdiction was confined to West Bengal, while Ayushman Bharat carries national-level applicability — meaning beneficiaries can access cashless treatment across India. With the change of government, residents are now expected to gain access to both the portability and coverage benefits of the central scheme.

Housing, Water and Fisheries Schemes

Under Jal Jeevan Mission, which provides tap water connections to every household, West Bengal used only 53 per cent of its central allocation of ₹24,645 crore between 2019-20 and 2023-24, according to officials, due to delays in proposal submission and documentation. Full implementation is now expected to extend piped water coverage to more households than the TMC's parallel effort had reached.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), which provides Union government funds to eligible low-income families for house construction, had a state-level counterpart called Banglar Bari. With both schemes potentially running in tandem, officials say a larger pool of beneficiaries — including those previously excluded — could receive housing support.

The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, which offers financial assistance, insurance, and modern equipment to fishermen, is also expected to be activated. Officials indicate that fuller implementation of the central scheme would extend benefits to a greater number of fishing households than current state-level support covers.

Income Support: Women and Youth Stand to Gain

Two schemes with direct cash transfer implications are particularly significant for household incomes. Under Matrishakti Bharosa, women from eligible income groups would receive ₹3,000 per month — double the ₹1,500 per month provided under the TMC's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, widely regarded as one of the outgoing government's most popular welfare interventions.

Similarly, under Yuva Shakti Bharosa, unemployed youth would receive ₹3,000 per month to support self-reliance — compared to the ₹1,500 per month promised under the TMC's Yuvashree scheme, launched in April. Specific eligibility conditions apply for the central scheme, officials noted.

Education: PM SHRI and Kanyashree

The Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme is also expected to be introduced in the state. West Bengal had its own internationally recognised education scheme, Kanyashree, which provides free education for girls from Class 1 through college and university, along with a one-time payment of ₹25,000. The addition of PM SHRI is expected to provide further financial assistance to female students.

As the BJP prepares to take charge, the pace and sequencing of these rollouts will be closely watched — both as a test of administrative capacity and as a signal of how the new government intends to balance central and state welfare frameworks.