Kolkata, Feb. 5 -- : Just a few months before the crucial Assembly polls, the Mamata Banerjee government on Monday showered bounties by increasing doles and allowances while presenting a Rs 4.06 lakh crore interim Budget in the West Bengal Assembly on Thursday.
Presented ahead of the elections by Minister of State for Finance (with Independent Charge) Chandrima Bhattacharya, the interim Budget featured a series of populist measures, including increased allocations for flagship welfare schemes, a hike in dearness allowance (DA) for government employees, and the introduction of a new unemployment support scheme for youths.
One of the biggest announcements was a hike in the popular 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme- a financial aid given by the gove...