Kolkata, June 18 (IANS) West Bengal Governor R.N. Ravi on Thursday praised the new government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari for preventing infiltration, which was rampant during the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress regime.

The Governor also praised the role of the current police administration for taking action against those involved in corruption and extortion for a long time.

The budget session of the West Bengal Assembly started on Thursday with the Governor’s speech. During the speech, the Governor elaborated on how rampant infiltration has changed the demography in certain pockets in the state that have international borders with neighbouring Bangladesh.

“However, the new state government has started taking strict action against anti-social elements who were sheltered in the previous regime. At the same time, strict steps are also being taken to identify and deport illegal foreigners and infiltrators. The pending work for erecting barbed fencing along the unfenced international borders with the state has already started. The new state government is determined to ensure security at the borders and prevent illegal immigration at any cost,” the Governor said in his speech.

Speaking on the occasion, the Governor also criticised the previous Trinamool Congress regime for its lackadaisical approach in implementation of crucial infrastructure development projects like the expansion of the Kolkata Metro Railway.

“The expansion work of Kolkata Metro Railway was kept on hold for a long time. The new state government has started it,” the Governor said.

The budget session, which started on Thursday, will continue till June 25. Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta will present the full state budget for the current financial year 2026-27 on June 22.

To recall, on February 5 this year, the previous Minister of State for Finance (Independent Charge), Chandrima Bhattacharya, had presented the interim (vote-on-account) budget in the Assembly. The full budget could not be presented due to the West Bengal Assembly elections, which were then due in April. The results were declared on May 4, following which the new government was sworn in.

Last week, after being allotted the portfolio of the state finance department, Dasgupta said his target is to increase the state’s own tax revenue without imposing an additional burden on people through an upward revision of the existing tax structure.

–IANS

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