West Bengal gets ₹82,000 crore infrastructure push, major rural and agriculture boost

Kolkata: West Bengal is set for a major push in infrastructure, rural development and agriculture after a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Kolkata on Monday. The meeting, attended by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, state ministers and senior officials from both the Centre and the state, focused on removing implementation bottlenecks and fast-tracking key development projects. Addressing the media after the meeting, Chouhan said that a developed West Bengal is essential to achieving the national vision of Viksit Bharat and Aatmanirbhar Bharat. He said coordinated efforts between the Centre and the state would accelerate development across sectors. ₹82,000 Crore Infrastructure Projects to Move Faster One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the review of 19 major infrastructure projects worth more than ₹82,000 crore. These projects span roads, highways, railways, metro, petroleum and natural gas, coal, and labour sectors. Officials reviewed long-pending issues related to land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement, forest clearances, utility shifting and inter-departmental coordination. Ministries and implementing agencies have been directed to resolve pending issues through time-bound action plans. Chouhan also proposed the creation of a State-level Project Monitoring Group (PMG) to improve coordination and...