Kolkata, Feb 12 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress government is all set to present on Wednesday its last full-fledged budget before the 2026 assembly elections, with a strong emphasis likely on social welfare and women empowerment.

Minister of State for Finance (independent charge) Chandrima Bhattacharya will table the state budget for the 2025-26 fiscal in the assembly in the evening.

With the elections just a year away, the Mamata Banerjee-led government is expected to roll out a host of populist measures aimed at consolidating the party's support base.

Party sources indicated that key welfare schemes such as 'Lakshmir Bhandar', a direct cash transfer programme for women, and 'Banglar Bari', a housing initiative, will receive increased allocation.

"The finance department is considering an enhancement in allowances under Lakshmir Bhandar," a senior TMC leader told PTI.

Last year, the scheme saw an additional allocation of Rs 12,000 crore, raising the monthly allowance to Rs 1,000 for general category women and Rs 1,200 for SC and ST women.

With women voters playing a crucial role in the state's electoral dynamics, the government is likely to further expand the scheme.

Apart from direct financial assistance, the budget is also expected to prioritise infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and employment generation.

A possible hike in the dearness allowance (DA) for state employees is also on the cards, sources said.

West Bengal had 3.73 crore registered women voters in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Political analysts suggested that the TMC's continued focus on women-centric welfare programmes is a strategic move to retain this crucial voter base, especially amid recent controversies such as the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case.

In the previous budget, the state saw an allocation of Rs 3.67 lakh crore, up by 8 per cent from the 2023-24 financial statements.

With an estimated Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth of 7.6 per cent in the 2023-24 fiscal, the government aims to position this budget as a reflection of its commitment to social welfare and economic stability.

As the assembly session convenes on Wednesday, all eyes will be on Bhattacharya's budget speech, which could set the tone for the TMC's electoral campaign ahead of 2026. PTI PNT ACD

Women-centric welfare focus likely to dominate state budget, signalling expanded cash transfers and housing support ahead of elections. State budget for 2025-26 will prioritise social welfare and women's empowerment, proposing increased funding for the Lakshmir Bhandar direct cash transfer scheme and expansion of the Banglar Bari housing initiative, alongside allocations for infrastructure, healthcare, education, employment generation, and a possible rise in dearness allowance for state employees.