West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced a package of measures for the Matua community at a conference in Thakurnagar, including a proposed municipality, a Rs 50-crore development allocation, an upgraded 100-bed hospital and assistance linked to citizenship applications, according to a report by Anandabazar.
The chief minister said the government had set a December 31 deadline to complete hearings for eligible applicants under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He said West Bengal had around 250,000 CAA applicants and that approximately 25,000 people had already received citizenship certificates. He also said the chief secretary had been instructed to ensure that Scheduled Caste applicants who receive CAA certificates do not face difficulties obtaining SC certificates.
Adhikari further said the state would assist CAA certificate holders in adding their names to electoral rolls when the special revision process begins in January. The report attributed the announcements to the chief minister’s address at the Matua Gosai conference.
The package also included proposed social-security measures. The chief minister said the state would work towards providing a monthly payment of Rs 3,000 under the Annapurna scheme to Matua women aged between 25 and 60, and an old-age allowance of Rs 1,500 per month to people above 60. He also promised access to health insurance covering treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh.
To coordinate access to government schemes, an officer would be assigned to the chief minister’s office for Matua-related matters, Adhikari said. He also announced the reconstitution of the Matua Development Board and said Rs 50 crore would be spent through the board during the current financial year on special development works.
Healthcare infrastructure was another part of the announcement. The Chandpara health centre would be upgraded to a 100-bed hospital within six months, according to the report. The facility would be named after Binapani Devi. Plans would also include a Special Newborn Care Unit and a Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Janaushadhi Kendra, which provides access to generic medicines.
Adhikari said Thakurnagar would be declared a municipality in the state’s next budget. The announcement would change the local administrative framework for the area, although the report did not provide details on the proposed municipal boundary, staffing structure, funding arrangements or implementation schedule.
The chief minister also spoke about expanding the temple complex at the Matua Thakurbari. He said an architect would be sent to prepare a detailed project report for a large temple on land under the Thakur family trust. The project would be pursued under a pilgrimage circuit, he said, and the state would seek national fair status for the Baruni Mela.
The visit was Adhikari’s first to the Matua Thakurbari as chief minister, the report said. He visited the temples of Harichand Thakur and Guruchand Thakur, as well as Kamonasagar, and attended a community conference. The next formal milestones mentioned in the announcement are the completion of CAA hearings by December 31, the start of the voter-list revision process in January, the state budget’s proposal for Thakurnagar’s municipal status and the six-month target for upgrading Chandpara health centre.
