West Bengal's Minority Affairs Budget Reduced by 62% Under New Government

In a significant shift from previous budgets, the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education (MAME) Department in West Bengal has seen its allocation reduced by 62% for the 2026-27 financial year. The budget presented by the newly elected government allocated Rs 2,175.43 crore to the department, down from Rs 5,713.61 crore in the interim budget tabled earlier this year before the assembly elections.

The reduction marks a sharp departure from the policies of the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, which had consistently increased funding for the department over the years. In the 2023-24 and 2024-25 budgets, the TMC government allocated Rs 5,166.99 crore and Rs 5,530.66 crore respectively, rising further to Rs 5,602.29 crore in 2025-26 and Rs 5,713.61 crore in the vote-on-account earlier this year.

This budget cut comes a month after the government discontinued the previous administration's move to include several Muslim communities in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list. The Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education department had been a key focus under the TMC, with allocations regularly exceeding Rs 5,000 crore annually.