By Maktoob
The West Bengal BJP government has slashed the allocation for the Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education (MAME) Department by 62% in the 2026–27 Budget, reducing it from Rs 5,713.61 crore in the interim Budget to Rs 2,175.43 crore.
The move comes a month after the Suvendu Adhikari government revoked the Mamata Banerjee administration’s decision to include several Muslim communities in the OBC list.
Presenting the 2026-27 Budget, Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta proposed an allocation of Rs 2,165.42 crore for the department.
Under the TMC, the MAME Department consistently received annual allocations exceeding Rs 5,000 crore. Budgetary support stood at Rs 5,166.99 crore in 2023–24, Rs 5,530.66 crore in 2024–25, Rs 5,602.29 crore in 2025–26, and Rs 5,713.61 crore in the 2026–27 interim Budget.
The latest Budget also scales back funding for several minority welfare schemes. No allocation has been made for a housing scheme for destitute minority women, which received Rs 10 crore under the previous government.
The allocation for the Aikyashree Scholarship has been reduced to Rs 250 crore from Rs 741 crore in 2025–26 and Rs 600 crore in 2024–25.
Funding for the Sabooj Sathi bicycle scheme for students, including those studying in madrasas, has been cut from Rs 100 crore to Rs 15.5 crore.
Similarly, the allocation for minority development and welfare schemes has been reduced to Rs 21 crore from Rs 103 crore in 2025–26 and Rs 85 crore in 2024–25.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.
