More Scrutiny Awaits TMC? BJP May Table Four Pending CAG Reports During Bengal Budget Session
More Scrutiny Awaits TMC? BJP May Table Four Pending CAG Reports During Bengal Budget Session Published By, Last Updated: June 22, 2026, 11:01 IST West
More Scrutiny Awaits TMC? BJP May Table Four Pending CAG Reports During Bengal Budget Session Published By, Last Updated: June 22, 2026, 11:01 IST West Bengal's new BJP government may release four pending CAG reports during the Budget session, alongside plans focused on jobs, investment and fiscal reforms. File photos of Suvendu Adhikari/Mamata Banerjee (PTI) The BJP government in West Bengal is likely to table four pending reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) during the ongoing Budget session of the state Assembly, according to a report by The Indian Express. The move could potentially bring renewed scrutiny to the financial functioning of the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, which ruled the state for 15 years before being voted out earlier this year. The reports pertain to the financial years 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25. The last CAG report presented in the Assembly by the TMC government was for the 2020-21 financial year. The newspaper reported that despite directions from then Governor CV Ananda Bose, the auditor’s reports for the subsequent four years were not tabled in the Assembly. Since CAG reports enter the public domain only after being laid before the legislature, the reports have remained inaccessible to the public.
“The CAG reports always flagged corrupt practices of the TMC government. Naturally, the state government was not happy with the CAG reports and did not want them to be published," a senior state Finance Department official was quoted as saying. The official further noted that unless the reports are tabled in the Assembly, they are not available in the public domain. While it remains unclear when exactly the reports will be presented, the current Assembly session is scheduled to continue till June 25 before reconvening on July 6 after a short recess. FIRST FULL BJP BUDGET TO BE PRESENTED The possible tabling of the CAG reports comes as the BJP government prepares to present its first full Budget in the state Assembly on Monday. According to news agency PTI, Finance Minister Swapan Dasgupta will present the 2026-27 Budget under the government led by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, nearly two months after the BJP ended the TMC’s 15-year rule in West Bengal. Officials cited by PTI said the Budget is expected to balance welfare commitments with fiscal consolidation while also placing significant emphasis on employment generation, industrial growth and revenue mobilisation.
West Bengal currently faces one of the highest debt burdens among major states. PTI reported that the state’s outstanding debt is estimated at more than Rs 7.5 lakh crore, while annual interest payments are close to Rs 49,000 crore, placing considerable pressure on public finances. The BJP government is expected to retain substantial social sector spending but introduce tighter scrutiny of direct benefit transfer schemes. The government has already begun replacing the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme with the Annapurna Yojana, under which eligible women are expected to receive enhanced monthly assistance. Government sources told PTI that beneficiary verification drives have resulted in the removal of nearly 30 lakh allegedly ineligible beneficiaries from welfare rolls. Officials also indicated that the Budget may unveil a medium-term fiscal roadmap aimed at reducing the state’s fiscal deficit over the next three to five years. Measures under consideration reportedly include action against GST evasion, transparent e-auction systems for sand and minor minerals, and monetisation of surplus government land. Industry and investment are also expected to feature prominently in the Budget. A senior industry department official told PTI that reforms related to land availability and the utilisation of unused industrial land are being examined.
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