Chief Minister Shubendu Adhikari led the new BJP government and directly assigned departments to 35 ministers ten days after expansion.
He retained Home, Hill Affairs, Information & Culture, Power, Land & Revenue, Personnel, and Administrative Reforms to ensure continuity and stability.
Furthermore, he coordinated with senior leaders to distribute remaining departments effectively, preventing conflicts and promoting governance efficiency.
Key Department Assignments
Senior BJP leader Swapn Dasgupta now oversees Finance, while Tapas Roy, a senior MLA who joined BJP from TMC, heads Industry and Commerce.
Dr. Shardwat Mukherjee, a first-time MLA from Vidhan Nagar, manages Health and Family Welfare. Arjun Singh from Noapara handles Labour and Transport.
The government considered experience, expertise, and local influence while assigning these portfolios to ensure effective administration.
Education Departments Division
The Education portfolio split into two for focused oversight. Jagannath Chatterjee manages Higher Education, Technical Education, and Skill Development.
Meanwhile, Deepak Barman supervises School Education, Housing, and MSME, streamlining administration across learning and vocational sectors.
Agriculture, Tourism, and Environment
Milk Kumar Mandal leads Agriculture, whereas Shankar Ghosh manages Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism. Manoj Uraon oversees Forest and Environment.
The government structured these allocations to improve policy implementation and connect sectoral priorities with citizen needs.
Public Health, Public Works, and Social Services
Dr. Ajay Kumar Poddar directs Public Health Engineering and Public Works Departments, while Gaurishankar Ghosh leads Backward Welfare, Education Extension, and Library Services.
Arup Kumar Das manages Irrigation and Water Resources. These assignments aim to enhance public service efficiency and resource utilization.
Women, Child Development, and Youth
Dr. Indranil Khan independently leads Sports and Youth Affairs. Malti Rawa Ray now manages Women & Child Development, Social Welfare, Self-Help Groups, and Program Monitoring.
Previously, Agnimitra Pal oversaw these departments. The transfer ensures focused attention on women and youth empowerment initiatives.
Conclusion and Political Context
BJP secured 207 of 294 seats in the May 4 election. Ministers, including Shubendu Adhikari, were sworn in on May 9, with cabinet expansion completed June 1.
The official portfolio announcement ended speculation, ensured clarity, and strengthened administrative accountability within West Bengal’s new BJP government.
