Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced the formation of five new cultural and development boards for the Munda, Kora, Dom, Kumbhakar and Sadgope communities.
Although presented as a development initiative aimed at cultural protection and socio-economic uplift, the announcement has triggered political debate in the state. The move comes in the backdrop of a recent controversy surrounding alleged disrespect shown to President Droupadi Murmu last week.
Announcing on social media, Mamata said the proposed boards would cater for the Munda (ST), Kora (ST), Dom (SC), Kumbhakar (OBC) and Sadgope (OBC) communities to protect their cultural identity while promoting socio-economic development through improved access to education, healthcare and employment opportunities.
The chief minister emphasised that the initiative sought to recognise the historical and cultural contributions of these communities while ensuring that development reaches them in a more structured and targeted manner.
“I am pleased to announce that our government intends to constitute soon five new Cultural and Development Boards for the Munda (ST), Kora (ST), Dom (SC), Kumbhakar (OBC) and Sadgope (OBC) communities. These communities are integral to the vibrant fabric of Bengal,” she wrote on her X handle.
“My heartiest congratulations to all of them. These boards will protect their unique languages and traditions while ensuring better education, healthcare and jobs. They will safeguard customary rights and bring further socio-economic growth,” she added.
The five communities are largely concentrated in the western belt of the state — including Purulia, Bankura, Jhargram and parts of West Midnapore. They have emerged as crucial electoral battlegrounds in recent years.
In the 2019 general election, the BJP made significant inroads into this region and secured a dominant presence.
Although the Trinamool Congress managed to regain some ground in the 2021 assembly election, the BJP retained a strong support base in several pockets. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Trinamool recaptured Bankura, Jhargram and Midnapore, but the BJP continued to hold the Purulia parliamentary seat for the second consecutive term, maintaining considerable influence in the region.
Against this political backdrop, the formation of the five new boards is being interpreted by many observers as a calibrated political move by the ruling party to reinforce its support base among tribal, SC, ST and OBC communities.
The initiative is also seen in some quarters as a damage-control effort aimed at addressing resentment among certain sections following the controversy involving the President.
Since coming to power in 2011, Mamata has repeatedly relied on the creation of community-specific development boards as part of her governance model to address long-standing socio-economic gaps among marginalised groups. These boards typically function as advisory and development platforms that identify community-specific needs, recommend welfare initiatives and create institutional channels of communication between the government and community representatives.
Explaining the broader philosophy behind the initiative, Mamata said her government had consistently attempted to ensure that development reaches every section of society.