Cabinet clears 50 acres for BSF, approves NIA police station
Times of India | 23 July 2026
Kolkata: The Bengal cabinet on Wednesday approved the transfer of around 50 acres of land to the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) for border fencing, border outposts and related infrastructure. It also cleared the issuance of a notification for setting up a National Investigation Agency (NIA) police station in the state.
The cabinet also approved the draft of the West Bengal Panchayat (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026, state urban development and municipal affairs minister Agnimitra Paul said.
The land transfer includes parcels in North Dinajpur, Nadia, Malda, Murshidabad, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar for border fencing, border roads and BSF and SSB outposts. This includes 30 acres in Alipurduar for the SSB and the direct purchase of 4.41 acres of raiyati land in Murshidabad for a BSF border outpost.
To boost tourism and regional development, the cabinet approved expansion of the Digha-Shankarpur Development Authority by bringing 20 more mouzas under its jurisdiction, increasing the total from 51 to 71.
The cabinet also enhanced nutritional support under the Integrated Child Development Services programme by approving an additional Rs 2 per beneficiary per day for cooked meals and breakfast for women and children.
In the healthcare sector, it approved the launch of the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana, a state-funded health insurance scheme for permanent residents not covered under the Ayushman Bharat programme.