West Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari launches Rs 5 lakh health insurance and direct land‑purchase policy

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojana, a state‑backed health insurance scheme that provides cashless treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh per year for families excluded from the central Ayushman Bharat programme. The cover is valid at empanelled hospitals across India, aiming to protect financially vulnerable patients who need specialist care outside West Bengal.

In a separate industrial initiative, the CM said the state will directly purchase land from owners for new factories, using a model previously applied in border areas. The policy is intended to avoid the land‑acquisition disputes that occurred in Singur and Nandigram, attract investment, increase revenue and generate employment. The government also pledged soft‑loan facilities for entrepreneurs and emphasized a stable law‑and‑order environment.

Adhikari also ordered the police to launch a two‑week campaign to locate and dismantle all illegal liquor and cannabis dens throughout the state, citing rising crime and threats to women’s safety. The directive targets both urban and rural areas, with the police commissioner instructed to oversee the operation.