[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/bengal-bjp-government-ends-imam-and-purohit-stipends\/#NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/bengal-bjp-government-ends-imam-and-purohit-stipends\/","headline":"Bengal BJP Government Ends Imam and Purohit Stipends, Redirects Funds to Scholarships and Women Welfare","name":"Bengal BJP Government Ends Imam and Purohit Stipends, Redirects Funds to Scholarships and Women Welfare","description":"Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and part member BHARATNEWS The newly formed BJP government in West Bengal has taken a major policy decision by discontinuing religion-based stipend schemes for imams and purohits, marking one of the most significant administrative shifts since the party came to power in the state. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the decision […]","datePublished":"2026-05-18","dateModified":"2026-05-18","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/author\/abhikk102004\/#Person","name":"ABHI KK","url":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/author\/abhikk102004\/","identifier":1,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/aaf62ce68d0959418e43c997fb078e5b.jpg?ver=1779353619","url":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/aaf62ce68d0959418e43c997fb078e5b.jpg?ver=1779353619","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"up24Hindi","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cropped-up24hindi-e1778741598181.png","url":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/cropped-up24hindi-e1778741598181.png","width":1020,"height":265}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/suvendu-adhikari-124237740-16x9_1.webp","url":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/suvendu-adhikari-124237740-16x9_1.webp","height":388,"width":690},"url":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/bengal-bjp-government-ends-imam-and-purohit-stipends\/","about":["Bharat News"],"wordCount":1147,"keywords":["Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari"],"articleBody":"Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari  and part member BHARATNEWS The newly formed BJP government in West Bengal has taken a major policy decision by discontinuing religion-based stipend schemes for imams and purohits, marking one of the most significant administrative shifts since the party came to power in the state.Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the decision after the cabinet\u2019s second meeting on Monday, saying the government believed public money should be prioritised for education and welfare schemes rather than religious allowances.The move is being seen not only as an administrative decision but also as a strong ideological statement from the BJP government, which has repeatedly criticised the previous Trinamool Congress administration over what it called \u201cappeasement politics.\u201dAt the same cabinet meeting, the government also approved new welfare measures for women, including direct financial assistance and free bus travel across the state.Government Ends Religious Stipend SchemesSpeaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Suvendu Adhikari defended the decision and argued that the state should focus more on education and merit-based opportunities. \u201cShould the government focus on paying stipends to imams and priests, or should it focus on education? Today, the cabinet has ended all religious stipends,\u201d Adhikari said.According to the government, the funds previously allocated to religious allowances will now be redirected toward the Vivekananda Meritorious Scholarship programme. The Chief Minister emphasised that the scholarship scheme would remain open to students from all communities and political backgrounds.\u201cHindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jain, BJP supporter, TMC supporter or CPM supporter \u2014 any student can receive the scholarship. There will be no appeasement,\u201d he said. The announcement immediately triggered political debate across West Bengal, where religion-linked welfare schemes had become a sensitive political issue over the past decade.What Were the Stipend Schemes?Although the government did not officially mention the exact schemes being withdrawn, West Bengal had for years provided monthly stipends to imams and Hindu priests. The imam stipend scheme was introduced in 2012 under the government of Mamata Banerjee shortly after the Trinamool Congress came to power.Under that programme, imams reportedly received a monthly allowance of Rs 3,000. Later, in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, the state government also launched financial assistance for purohits, under which Hindu priests received around Rs 2,000 per month.At the time, the TMC government defended both programmes as welfare measures aimed at supporting economically vulnerable religious workers. However, the BJP consistently criticised the schemes, particularly the imam allowance, accusing the TMC of using public funds for religious appeasement.Now, after assuming power in the state, the BJP government has formally decided to phase out these benefits. Urban Development Minister Agnimitra Paul confirmed that religion-based assistance schemes operating under the Madrasa Department and the Information and Cultural Department would gradually be withdrawn.The schemes will reportedly continue till the end of the current month before being formally discontinued.OBC List Revision Also ApprovedIn another important decision, the cabinet decided to scrap the revised list of communities added to the OBC category between 2010 and 2024. This decision comes after a 2024 ruling by the Calcutta High Court which declared several additions unconstitutional.A large number of the communities added during that period reportedly belonged to the Muslim community. The BJP government has now decided to withdraw the sub-categorisation system introduced by the previous TMC administration.This move is likely to have political as well as social implications, especially because reservation-related decisions often become major election issues in West Bengal politics. The BJP has framed the decision as an effort to restore transparency and constitutional balance in reservation policies.Opposition parties, however, are expected to accuse the government of targeting minority communities.BJP Balances Ideological Shift With Welfare PushAlongside these controversial decisions, the government also unveiled major welfare announcements aimed particularly at women voters. The cabinet approved the launch of the Annapurna Yojana, under which women across the state will receive Rs 3,000 in financial assistance starting June 1.The scheme was one of the BJP\u2019s major election promises during the West Bengal Assembly campaign. According to officials, women already receiving benefits under the Lakshmi Bhandar programme will automatically be included under the new initiative.For others, the government plans to launch a separate online registration portal. In another significant announcement, the cabinet approved free bus travel for women throughout West Bengal beginning June 1.Political observers believe these welfare measures are intended to balance the political impact of scrapping the religious stipend schemes. While the BJP government is attempting to reinforce its ideological identity, it is also trying to maintain broad welfare outreach among women and economically vulnerable groups.Suvendu Holds First Janata DarbarEarlier in the day, Suvendu Adhikari also conducted his first janata darbar after becoming Chief Minister on May 9. The public grievance hearing took place at a BJP office in Salt Lake, where residents and students met the Chief Minister directly to raise complaints and requests.According to BJP leaders, such public interaction programmes will now become a regular feature of the administration. The janata darbar model has previously been used by leaders such as Yogi Adityanath and Nitish Kumar as a direct public outreach mechanism.The BJP appears keen to project an image of fast-paced governance and administrative accessibility during its early days in office. In a post on social media platform X, the party claimed that the \u201cDouble Engine Government\u201d had begun delivering results within its first week itself.Political and Ideological SignificanceThe decision to end imam and purohit stipends is likely to remain politically sensitive in West Bengal.Supporters of the move argue that governments should avoid religion-specific financial assistance and instead focus on universal welfare and educational opportunities. Critics, however, may view the rollback as politically motivated and aimed at altering the state\u2019s welfare structure in line with BJP ideology.The decision also reflects the BJP\u2019s broader national political messaging, which often emphasises \u201cequal treatment\u201d over community-specific benefits. By redirecting funds toward scholarships open to all communities, the government is attempting to frame the policy shift as merit-based rather than religiously targeted.At the same time, the introduction of women-focused schemes shows that welfare politics remains central to electoral strategy in the state.A New Governance DirectionWith these early cabinet decisions, the BJP government has signalled the direction it intends to take in West Bengal.Three themes are becoming increasingly visible:Strong ideological positioningWelfare expansion targeted at women and youthGovernance messaging focused on speed and direct outreachThe government\u2019s first week in office has therefore combined symbolic political moves with populist welfare measures. Whether these decisions strengthen the BJP\u2019s support base or trigger political backlash from opposition parties will become clearer in the coming months.For now, the ending of imam and purohit stipends marks a major shift in West Bengal\u2019s political and administrative landscape \u2014 one that is likely to shape debates around welfare, secularism, and governance across the state."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Bengal BJP Government Ends Imam and Purohit Stipends, Redirects Funds to Scholarships and Women Welfare","item":"https:\/\/up24hindi.in\/bengal-bjp-government-ends-imam-and-purohit-stipends\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]