Mamata's Welfare State: Cash Doles Trump Jobs in West Bengal

• Mamata Banerjee's politics in West Bengal prioritizes direct cash transfers and populist doles over sustainable economic development and job creation.
• Recent examples include a last-minute allowance hike for purohits and Muslim clerics, bypassing the MCC, and rebranding unemployment relief as a Rs 1,500/month stipend (Yuvashree).
• Key schemes like Lakshmir Bhandar provide monthly cash to 2.2 crore women, with an annual budget of Rs 26,700 crore, fostering loyalty but raising economic concerns.
• Despite nearly 100 welfare schemes covering 8-9 crore beneficiaries, Bengal's economy lags, with stagnant industrial growth, limited investment, and declining GSDP share.
• Critics, including NITI Aayog, warn of fiscal stress, rising debt, and an economy reliant on state-supported consumption rather than employment-driven prosperity.