Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has called an emergency meeting with BDOs to review the progress of the state’s 125-day rural employment scheme amid reports of sluggish implementation in several areas.
According to state secretariat sources, the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has received multiple complaints regarding administrative laxity in the execution of the scheme. Adhikari has therefore decided to seek a detailed assessment directly from the officials responsible for implementing it at the grassroots level.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the headquarters of the West Bengal Panchayat Affairs and Rural Development Department in Salt Lake, on the northern outskirts of Kolkata.
State Panchayat Affairs and Rural Development Minister Dilip Ghosh and Minister of State Santanu Pramanik are also expected to attend the meeting.
CM to Seek Block-Wise and District-Wise Progress Reports
During the review, Adhikari is expected to seek detailed information on projects undertaken under the rural employment scheme, including block-wise and district-wise progress.
The Chief Minister is also likely to seek explanations from BDOs regarding the slow pace of implementation in certain blocks and the reasons behind the reported administrative shortcomings.
The meeting is aimed at obtaining first-hand information about the situation at the grassroots level and identifying areas where implementation needs to be improved.
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Review Follows Meeting with Senior Bureaucrats
The emergency meeting with BDOs follows a review conducted by Adhikari last week with departmental secretaries, principal secretaries and additional chief secretaries.
During that meeting, delays and inadequate progress in the implementation of the rural employment scheme in several blocks reportedly featured prominently.
According to a state secretariat insider, the Chief Minister decided to interact directly with BDOs after the discussion to understand the ground-level challenges.
Adhikari has also made it clear to senior bureaucrats heading various departments that any laxity in implementing the rural employment scheme will not be tolerated.
West Bengal Implements 125-Day Rural Employment Scheme Under VG-RAM-G
Following the change of government in West Bengal after the Assembly elections earlier this year, the state came under the Centre’s Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VG-RAM-G scheme.
Under the new arrangement, rural households are provided with a guarantee of 125 days of employment annually, compared with the earlier provision of 100 days.
The scheme came into effect in West Bengal on July 1, 2026.
However, complaints regarding delays and inadequate implementation have continued to reach the Chief Minister’s Office despite the new arrangement being introduced.
CM Steps In to Address Implementation Concerns
The latest review reflects the Chief Minister’s decision to personally monitor the progress of the rural employment scheme and address concerns over its execution.
By seeking direct feedback from BDOs, the state government aims to assess implementation at the block and district levels and identify the reasons behind delays.
The meeting is expected to focus on accountability among officials and improving the delivery of the rural employment programme across West Bengal.
