Suvendu Adhikari announces 12,000 police appointments, higher Karmabandhu allowance, 14,454 government jobs and new education benefits before Durga Puja.
Qalam Times News Network
Kolkata | October 5, 2026
Suvendu Adhikari has announced a series of measures covering government recruitment, police modernisation, temporary workers and educational assistance ahead of Durga Puja. The announcements were made after the state Cabinet meeting at Nabanna on Monday, with the government putting particular emphasis on filling vacant posts and extending financial support to several categories of workers and students.
The Suvendu Adhikari government said the measures are intended to provide immediate relief ahead of the festive season while also accelerating recruitment across different departments. Earlier, the state government had announced a much larger recruitment drive, including 12,000 vacancies in the West Bengal Police and 4,000 in the Kolkata Police.
Suvendu Adhikari Announced: Police Recruitment, Karmabandhu Allowance and New Government Jobs
Among the major announcements was an increase in the monthly remuneration of Karmabandhu workers, who are engaged as sanitation workers under the Land and Land Reforms Department. Their allowance has been raised from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 per month, with the revised amount expected to be paid from the current month.
The government has also announced preparations for the launch of the 112 emergency response number for the state police on October 10, coinciding with Mahalaya. As part of the police infrastructure expansion, around 400 vehicles and 450 motorcycles are expected to be distributed among different police stations during a programme at Brigade Parade Ground.
A day later, on October 11, appointment letters are scheduled to be handed over to around 12,000 recruits in the first batch of the state police recruitment process, according to the announcement.
The police recruitment push comes against the backdrop of the government’s broader plan to strengthen manpower. In August, Adhikari had directed the Police Recruitment Board to expedite recruitment against around 43,000 vacant posts in the state police.
14,454 More Government Posts in the Pipeline
The Cabinet has also approved recruitment to 14,454 additional posts across various state government departments. The recruitment process is expected to be completed within six to eight months, with examinations and selections to be conducted through agencies including the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Police Recruitment Board.
The proposed recruitment will cover several departments, including the Forest Department, Fire and Emergency Services, Correctional Services, Home and Hill Affairs, among others.
The announcement forms part of a wider employment drive by the state government. In September, the Cabinet had cleared recruitment to around 1.5 lakh vacant government posts, with the process expected to extend across multiple departments. The earlier announcement included 12,000 posts in the West Bengal Police and 4,000 in the Kolkata Police.
The government has said that recruitment will be carried out through established recruitment bodies, with the stated objective of completing the selection process within the announced time frame.
Higher Food Allocation for SC and ST Hostel Students
The announcements also extended to education and student welfare. The state government has increased the monthly food allocation for students belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities living in government-supported hostels. The allocation has been raised from Rs 1,800 to Rs 3,300 per student.
A similar increase in hostel grants was reported as part of the state’s recent Cabinet decisions, with the government approving the revised amount for students staying in Ashram hostels under the Backward Classes Welfare and Tribal Development departments.
The move is aimed at increasing financial support for students who depend on residential facilities while pursuing their education.
New Higher-Education Support for Unmarried Women
Another announcement concerns a new higher-education assistance programme described as the Bhagini Nivedita Scheme. Under the proposed scheme, eligible unmarried women pursuing higher education will receive a total financial assistance of Rs 50,000 over three years. The initiative is intended to provide additional financial support to women continuing their studies after school and to encourage greater participation in higher education.
The announcement comes amid a wider focus by the state government on financial assistance for female students. Reports in June had also highlighted a proposal to provide Rs 50,000 to unmarried female students in West Bengal.
Government Focuses on Jobs and Public Services Before Puja
The series of announcements comes ahead of the Durga Puja season, when the state government traditionally unveils new public-service and welfare measures.
For the police, the immediate priorities include recruitment, emergency-response infrastructure and the distribution of additional vehicles and motorcycles. For government departments, the focus is on filling vacant posts through formal recruitment channels.
The government has also sought to address the needs of temporary workers and students through increased financial allocations.
With the state already having announced recruitment to a substantially larger pool of vacant government positions, the latest decisions indicate that employment remains a major component of the administration’s agenda. The earlier Cabinet decision to recruit around 1.5 lakh people across departments represents a significant expansion over the government’s previous recruitment target.
The implementation of the latest announcements will now depend on the relevant departments completing the recruitment, examination and administrative procedures within the timelines announced by the government.
