Suvendu Adhikari Orders Land Transfer to BSF in 45 Days for Border Fencing

In one of his first major administrative moves, West Bengal's newly elected Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has announced that the state government will hand over required land to the Border Security Force (BSF) within 45 days to complete fencing along the Bangladesh border.

The decision was among six key resolutions passed during the first state cabinet meeting held today, Monday (May 11). This marks a significant departure from the policy of the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration, which had long-standing disputes with the Center regarding land acquisition for border security.

According to a report by NDTV, curbing undocumented migration was a central pillar of the BJP's election campaign. The party alleged that under the TMC government, West Bengal's international borders remained porous, allowing foreign nationals to enter illegally and alter the state's demography in exchange for "vote-bank politics."

"The demographic landscape of the state has changed. On our first day, we have approved the land transfer to the Union Home Ministry and the BSF. The Land and Revenue Secretary and the Chief Secretary have been tasked with this. The land will be in BSF hands within 45 days." — Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari

In another major policy shift, the cabinet approved the implementation of the central health insurance scheme, ‘Ayushman Bharat’, in West Bengal. Adhikari emphasized that all central projects bearing the Prime Minister’s name would now be executed across the state, overturning Mamata Banerjee's long-standing opposition to these programs.

Despite the shift in political ideology, Chief Minister Adhikari assured citizens that the popular welfare schemes introduced by the TMC government would not be abolished. Specifically, the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ project—which provides monthly financial assistance of ₹1,000 to ₹1,200 to women aged 25–60—will continue.

"Lakshmir Bhandar will not stop. All beneficiary-based projects currently running in West Bengal will remain active." — Suvendu Adhikari

Last week, the BJP nominated Suvendu Adhikari as West Bengal's first-ever BJP Chief Minister following an overwhelming victory in the state assembly elections. The BJP secured 207 out of 294 seats, ending the 15-year dominance of the TMC. The election was marked by intense debates over voter list rectifications and the role of the Election Commission, especially after nearly 9 million names were reportedly removed from the rolls.

Political analysts view the decision to prioritize border fencing as a clear signal to the BJP’s core constituency that the new government intends to take a "hardline" stance on border security and migration issues immediately.