Mamata woos voters with 10 commitments, says Bengal will be ‘destination for industry’

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hailed West Bengal as a “destination destination for industry” and said her government would ensure 24-hour energy supply for the “next 100 years” if voted to power for the fourth consecutive term.

The Trinamool Congress supremacy has released the party’s manifesto for the Assembly elections in Kolkata on Friday, March 20, 2026.

Ms. Banerjee, who is aiming for a fourth consecutive term, is, in her words, trying to woo voters.Doshta Angikaar’ or 10 commitments such as industrial infrastructure, improved schools, better healthcare and 24/7 power supply, among others.

The party manifesto said West Bengal will become the industrial gateway of eastern India with state-of-the-art logistics and business infrastructure and a global trade hub. The government will spend ₹30,000 crore for farmers’ welfare and will stand by farmer families and the landless.

“We have become a hub for cement and leather. We are number one in this and number one in MSMEs too,” he said, adding that 1.5 crore people work in MSMEs in the state and 7 lakh people work in the leather industry.

Ms Banerjee said if the Trinamool wins the elections, which will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, the new government will extend the State’s landmark Lakshmir Bhandar scheme (monthly allowance for women) for life. Currently, women between the ages of 25 and 60 get ₹1,500 (from the general category) and ₹1,700 (from the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Caste categories). The Prime Minister had increased the allowance by ₹500 per month in February.

He said the ₹ 1,500 allowance given to youth between the ages of 21 and 40 under Yubasathi is “pocket money” and will support them until they find a job. “This allowance will continue with other scholarships,” he said.The scheme provides the allowance to those who pass the Madhyamik examination (Class 10), which will be given for five years or until the beneficiary gets a job, whichever is earlier.

Promising 24-hour electricity supply, the Prime Minister said, “Once the Deocha Pachami coal mining project starts, it will provide electricity to Bengal for the next 100 years. We will give this gift to future generations.”

Work on the project in Birbhum district started with basalt mining in February. Since the coal reserve is located under the basalt layer, whose thickness varies between 100 and 350 meters, the commissioning of the coal mine is the first step.

The Trinamool chief said his government will improve and modernize schools in the state and focus on e-learning initiatives. “I want to hire teachers, but the opposition always goes to court and files lawsuits. This hinders recruitment,” he said.

The Chief Minister said the government will provide housing to all and ensure piped water supply to all households in the state. In addition, it will take initiatives to care for the elderly whose children live elsewhere to work. “We will be with our elderly citizens,” he said.

Ms. Banerjee promised to create “seven to 10” new districts and several blocks and municipalities for ease of administration.

He also promised to bring healthcare to people’s homes and announced the “Duare Chikitsa” (health at the doorstep) initiative. The West Bengal government is currently running a “Duare Sarkar” program that helps people access government services and welfare programs virtually at their doorstep.