Politics Over Progress? How Mamata Banerjee’s TMC Has Stalled Central Schemes in West Bengal

 

As India continues to expand its welfare architecture and infrastructure network through centrally sponsored schemes, the success of these initiatives largely depends on cooperation between the Union and the states. However, several central programmes and projects in West Bengal have reportedly faced delays, administrative hurdles, or non-implementation over the past few years.

 

Between 2020 and 2026, multiple instances emerged where national schemes or centrally funded projects were either stalled, delayed, or not adopted by the state government. These incidents span key sectors such as railway infrastructure, healthcare, border security, rural welfare, fisheries development, and women's safety programmes.

 

 

 

 

Union Railway Minister stated during a public programme that several railway infrastructure projects in West Bengal were progressing slowly due to delays in land acquisition. According to the ministry, only 27 percent of the required land for various projects had been acquired at the time of the statement.

 

 

One notable example cited was the Nabadwipghat–Nabadwipdham railway link in Nadia district, which has faced prolonged delays. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha in December 2024, the ministry also noted that 43 railway projects in West Bengal including 13 new rail lines, four gauge conversion works, and 26 track-doubling projects were pending primarily due to the non-availability of land.

 

 

 

 

The Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), the flagship health insurance programme of the Central Government, has not been implemented in West Bengal.

 

 

The scheme provides cashless health insurance coverage for economically weaker families across a nationwide network of hospitals. However, the state opted to stay out of the programme, meaning eligible residents from West Bengal could not access treatment benefits available to beneficiaries in other states under the national portability framework.

 

 

 

 

The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) a major national initiative aimed at boosting fisheries productivity and fish farmers' incomes was reportedly not implemented in West Bengal for two years.

 

 

Officials indicated that the delay occurred because the state government did not submit the necessary project proposals within the stipulated time. As a result, central funds linked to the programme could not be released, slowing down fisheries development initiatives in the region.

 

 

 

 

The Indo-Bangladesh border fencing project, which is intended to strengthen border security and curb illegal infiltration and smuggling, faced delays in several stretches in West Bengal.

 

 

The Union Government stated that progress slowed because the required land had not been handed over promptly by state authorities, affecting the timely completion of fencing works in sensitive border areas.

 

 

 

 

Investigations into the implementation of rural development schemes in West Bengal revealed irregularities in programmes such as MGNREGA and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G).

 

Reports highlighted issues such as:

 

 

 

 

 

Due to these findings, MGNREGA funds were suspended under Section 27 of the Act for a period.

 

 

The Union Government noted that over ₹1.10 lakh crore had been allocated to the state since 2014-15 under various rural schemes including MGNREGA, PMAY-G, PMGSY, NRLM, NSAP and skill development programmes.

 

 

 

 

The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) initiative launched in 2015 to address declining child sex ratio and promote girls' education has reportedly not been implemented by the state government.

 

 

The programme aims to support awareness campaigns, improve the Sex Ratio at Birth, and promote welfare initiatives such as Sukanya Samriddhi accounts and maternity benefits through the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).

 

 

 

 

Several projects funded under the Nirbhaya Fund, designed to strengthen safety measures for women, were not implemented in West Bengal.

 

 

Officials indicated that funds allocated for safety infrastructure and support mechanisms remained unutilised due to delays in approvals and implementation at the state level.

 

 

 

 

The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), which provides crop insurance coverage to farmers against natural calamities and crop loss, was discontinued by the state after participating in the scheme for some seasons.

 

 

The state government cited financial and risk-sharing concerns while opting out, even though the scheme remains available for states to join on a voluntary basis.

 

 

 

 

The Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to generate employment opportunities for returning migrant workers in rural areas, was implemented in several states.

 

However, the programme was not rolled out in West Bengal because the necessary data and information required for implementation were not submitted by the state authorities.

 

 

Under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her Trinamool Congress (TMC) regime, West Bengal has tragically become a textbook case of stalled development, where political vendetta and administrative arrogance have deliberately sabotaged numerous central schemes from 2020 to 2026.

 

 

From refusing to implement life-saving Ayushman Bharat health insurance depriving millions of cashless treatment to delaying Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana for fisheries, opting out of crop insurance under PMFBY, and failing to utilize Nirbhaya Fund for women's safety, the TMC government has consistently blocked or ignored national initiatives. Railway projects languish due to withheld land acquisition, border fencing slows amid security lapses, and welfare programs like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao remain unimplemented.

 

This is "vendetta politics" against the Centre, prioritizing ego over people's welfare and denying Bengalis benefits enjoyed nationwide, ultimately hindering progress and deepening poverty in the state.