View source for Left Front government in West Bengal

The '''34 years of Left Front led Government in West Bengal during 1977–2011''' refers to the consequently winning of the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]]-led [[Left Front (West Bengal)|Left Front]] in the [[West Bengal Legislative Assembly]] elections and [[democracy|democratic]]ally forming [[Government of West Bengal|Government]] for [[Politics of West Bengal|seven terms]] starting from 1977 to 2011 (34 years) in the [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]]. This period (1977–2011) is the longest serving of any democratically elected [[communist]]s-led Government in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2006-may-12-fg-communists12-story.html|title=Communists Lead Kolkata's Capitalist Makeover|date=May 12, 2006|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2011/5/18/the-end-of-an-era-in-west-bengal-and-india|title=End of an era in Bengal|first=Sumantra|last=Bose|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=26 April 2024|archive-date=16 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240116171639/https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2011/5/18/the-end-of-an-era-in-west-bengal-and-india|url-status=live}}</ref> The "34 years of Left Front rule in West Bengal" is a well used political term coined by politicians in the [[Politics of West Bengal|West Bengal politics]] as well as [[politics of India]].
{{short description|Communist rule of western Bengal region, ruled late 20th and early 21st century}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox Former Country
| conventional_long_name = Communist Party of India (Marxist)
| common_name            = Communist Party of India (Marxist)
| country                =
| era                    = [[Politics of West Bengal|Post Independence politics of West Bengal]]
| status                 =
| event_start            =
| year_start             = 1977
| date_start             =
| event1                 =
| date_event1            =
| event_end              =
| year_end               = 2011
| date_end               =
| p1                     = Indian National Congress 
| p2                     = Bangla Congress
| p3                     =
| s1                     = Trinamool Congress
| s2                     =
| symbol_type            = [[Electoral symbol]]
| image_map              = [[File:CPI(M) Official Logo.png|Emblem of CPIM|120px]]
[[File:West Bengal in India.svg|420px]]
| map_width              = 120px
| image_map_caption      =
| capital                = [[Kolkata|Calcutta]]
| common_languages       = [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[English language|English]]
| religion               = [[Secularism]]
| government_type        = [[Democracy]]
| leader1                = [[File:CPI(M) Official Logo.png|18px]] [[Jyoti Basu]]
| year_leader1           = 1977–2000
| leader2                = [[File:CPI(M) Official Logo.png|18px]] [[Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee]]
| year_leader2           = 2000–2011
| legislature            =
| today                  =
}}
{{Sena dynasty}}
It was started from 1977, when [[Left Front (West Bengal)|Left Front]], led by [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] won [[1977 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|1977 Assembly elections]] in [[India]]n state of [[West Bengal]] with 2/3rd majority suppressing [[Janata Dal]] and [[Indian National Congress]]. Left Front of West Bengal included [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]], [[All India Forward Bloc]], [[Revolutionary Socialist Party (India)|Revolutionary Socialist Party]], [[Marxist Forward Bloc]], [[Revolutionary Communist Party of India]] and the [[Biplabi Bangla Congress]], while  [[Communist Party of India]], [[West Bengal Socialist Party]] and [[Democratic Socialist Party (Prabodh Chandra)|Democratic Socialist Party]] joined in later years.<ref name="Chander2004">{{cite book|author=N. Jose Chander|title=Coalition Politics: The Indian Experience|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G_QtMGIczhMC&pg=PA105|year= 2004|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-8069-092-1|pages=105–111}}</ref> [[Jyoti Basu]] was sworn in as [[Chief Minister of West Bengal]] after being elected from [[Satgachhia (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Satgachhia]] constituency. The Left Front ruled the state for seven consecutive terms 1977–2011, five with [[Jyoti Basu]] as Chief Minister and two under [[Buddhadev Bhattacharya]]. The rule ended in 2011, when [[Trinamool Congress]] historically defeated Left Front in [[2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|2011 Assembly elections]].

==Left Front and the politics of West Bengal==
{{See also|Politics of West Bengal}}

===Left Front===
{{Main article|Left Front (West Bengal)}}
[[File:Dspmötekolkata.JPG|thumb|right|An electoral meeting of Left Front. Banner states 'Bamfront', Bengali of 'Left Front'.]]

The Left Front ({{langx|bn|বাম ফ্রন্ট}}; {{transliteration|bn|baam front}}) is a [[leftism|left]]-leaning alliance of left and [[communist]] political parties in of [[West Bengal]]. It was formed in January 1977, which subsequently won [[1977 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election]] in June 1977 and formed Government in the state. The alliance won every election after that up to 2011 and formed Governments for consequent 7 times.

The '''Left Front''' includes:
* [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]]
* [[Communist Party of India]]
* [[All India Forward Bloc]]
* [[Revolutionary Socialist Party (India)|Revolutionary Socialist Party]]
* [[Revolutionary Communist Party of India]]
* [[Marxist Forward Bloc]]

===Elections===
{{Expand section|date=April 2024}}
{| class="wikitable"
!colspan="13" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|Assembly elections
|-
!colspan="1" rowspan="2"  |Year
!colspan="1" rowspan="2"  |Total seats
!colspan="4" |Winning Party/alliance
!colspan="4" |Opposition
!colspan="1" rowspan="2" |Others
!colspan="1" rowspan="2" |Remarks
!colspan="1" rowspan="2" |Ref(s)
|-
!colspan="1" |Party/alliance
!colspan="1" |Seats contested
!colspan="1" |Seats won
!colspan="1" |Vote share
!colspan="1" |Party/alliance
!colspan="1" |Seats contested
!colspan="1" |Seats
!colspan="1" |Vote share
|-
|colspan="1" |[[1977 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|1977]]
|294
|'''Left Front''' {{bulleted list|CPIM|AIFB| RSP|RCPI|MFB|BBC|Independent}}
|{{bulleted list|CPIM- 224|AIFB- 36| RSP- 23|RCPI-4|MFB-3|BBC-2|Ind-1}}
|Total: 231 {{bulleted list|CPIM- 178|AIFB- 25| RSP- 20|RCPI-3|MFB-3|BBC-2| Ind-1}}
|45.61%
|[[Janata Party|JNP]]
|289
|29
|20.02%
|{{bulleted list|INC(R) won 20 seats among 290 contested with 23.02%vote share|CPI won 2 seats among 63 contested with 2.62%vote share| [[Socialist Unity Centre of India|SUCI]] won 4 seats among 29 contested with 1.48%vote share| [[Indian Union Muslim League|IUML]] won 1 seats among 32 contested with 0.38%vote share|[[Workers Party of India|WPI]] won 1 seats among 2 contested with 0.2%vote share}}
|The election marked the beginning of the 34-year Left Front rule in West Bengal. [[Jyoti Basu]] became chief minister and '''First Basu Ministry''' formed. [[Prafulla Chandra Sen]] became leader of opposition.
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://eci.gov.in/files/file/3188-west-bengal-1977/ |title=West Bengal 1977 - West Bengal - Election Commission of India |access-date=26 April 2024 |archive-date=19 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019151052/https://eci.gov.in/files/file/3188-west-bengal-1977/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|colspan="1" |[[1982 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|1982]]
| 294
|'''Left Front''' {{bulleted list|CPIM|AIFB| RSP|CPI|RCPI|MFB|BBC|WBSP|DSP}}
|{{bulleted list|CPIM- 209|AIFB- 34| RSP- 23|CPI-12|RCPI-3|MFB-2|BBC-1|WBSP and DSP-10}}
|Total: 231 {{bulleted list|CPIM- 174|AIFB- 28| RSP- 19|CPI-7|RCPI-2|MFB-2|WBSP and DSP-6}}
|52.78%
|[[Indian National Congress|Indian National Congress (I)]]
|250
|49
|35.73
|{{Bulleted list|[[Indian Congress (Socialist)|IC(S)]]-4 seats|SUCI- 2 seats|Independent-1}}
| [[Jyoti Basu]] became chief minister and '''Second Basu Ministry''' formed. [[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]] became leader of opposition.
|<ref name="eci.gov.in">{{Cite web |url=https://eci.gov.in/files/file/3189-west-bengal-1982/ |title=West Bengal 1982 - West Bengal - Election Commission of India |access-date=26 April 2024 |archive-date=19 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019065729/https://eci.gov.in/files/file/3189-west-bengal-1982/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|colspan="1" |[[1987 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|1987]]
|294
|'''Left Front''' {{bulleted list|CPIM|AIFB| RSP|CPI|RCPI|MFB|BBC|WBSP|DSP}}
|{{bulleted list|CPIM- 212|AIFB- 34| RSP- 23|CPI-12|RCPI-3|MFB-2|BBC-1|WBSP and DSP-7}}
|Total: 231 {{bulleted list|CPIM- 187|AIFB- 26| RSP- 18|CPI-11|RCPI-1|MFB-2|WBSP and DSP-6}}
|38.49
|[[Indian National Congress|Indian National Congress (I)]]
|250
|49
|35.73
|{{Bulleted list|[[Indian Congress (Socialist)|IC(S)]] won 4 seats|SUCI won 2 seats|1 independent candidate won}}
| [[Jyoti Basu]] remained chief minister and '''Third Basu Ministry''' formed. [[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]] remained leader of opposition.
|<ref name="eci.gov.in"/>
|-
|colspan="1" |[[1991 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|1991]]
|294
|'''Left Front''' {{bulleted list|CPIM|AIFB| RSP|CPI|RCPI|MFB|BBC|WBSP|DSP}}
|{{bulleted list|CPIM- 204|AIFB- 34| RSP- 23|CPI-12|RCPI-3|MFB-2|BBC-1|WBSP and DSP-6}} and allies  {{bulleted list|Janata Dal-8|[[Communist Revolutionary League of India|CRLI]]-1|[[Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League|ABGL]]-1}}
|Total: 244 {{bulleted list|CPIM- 182|AIFB- 29| RSP- 18|CPI-6|RCPI-1|MFB-2|WBSP and DSP-6|Janata Dal-1}}
|48.57
|[[Indian National Congress|Indian National Congress (I)]]
|250
|49
|35.73
|{{Bulleted list|[[Indian Congress (Socialist)|IC(S)]] won 4 seats|SUCI won 2 seats|1 independent candidate won}}
| [[Jyoti Basu]] remained chief minister and '''Third Basu Ministry''' formed. [[Siddhartha Shankar Ray]] remained leader of opposition.
|<ref name="eci.gov.in"/>
|-
|colspan="1" |[[1996 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|1996]]
|
|colspan="1" |Left Front
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |INC
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|
|
|
|
|-
|colspan="1" |[[2001 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|2001]]
|
|colspan="1" |Left Front
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |INC
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|
|
|
|
|-
|colspan="1" |[[2006 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|2006]]
|
|colspan="1" |Left Front
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |INC
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|
|
|
|
|-
|colspan="1" |[[2011 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election|2011]]
|
|colspan="1" |Left Front
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |INC
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|colspan="1" |
|
|
|
|
|-
!colspan="13" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|Parliamentary elections
|-
!colspan="1" rowspan="2" |Year
!colspan="1" rowspan="2" |Total seats
!colspan="9" |Party wise results
!colspan="1" rowspan="2" |Remarks
!colspan="1" rowspan="2" |Ref(s)
|-
!colspan="3"|Seats contested
!colspan="3"|Seats won
!colspan="3"|Vote share
|-
!colspan="13" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|Local body elections
|-
!colspan="1" rowspan="2"|Year
!colspan="1" rowspan="2" |Type
!colspan="9" |Bodies won (by parties/alliance)
!colspan="1" rowspan="2" |Remarks
!colspan="1" rowspan="2" |Ref(s)
|}

===Major opposition parties===
* '''Janata Dal'''
:{{main article|Janata Dal}}
* '''Indian National Congress'''
:{{main article|Indian National Congress}}
* '''All India Trinamool Congress'''
:{{main article|All India Trinamool Congress}}

===Political controversies===
====1979 Marichjhanpi Massacre====
{{main|Marichjhapi incident}}
The massacre in [[Marichjhanpi]], which took place under CPI(M) rule in Bengal between January 26 and May 16, 1979, relates to the eviction of refugees from the reserved island of Marichjhanpi, Sunderbans, who had fled from [[East Pakistan]] thereby leading to the death of a sizable population among them.<ref name="haunt" />

{{blockquote|Out of the 14,388 families who deserted [for West Bengal], 10,260 families returned to their previous places ... and the remaining 4,128 families perished in transit, died of starvation, exhaustion, and many were killed in Kashipur, Kumirmari, and Marichjhapi by police firings (Biswas 1982, 19).<ref>{{cite web|last=Ross |first=Mallick|title=The Morichjhanpi massacre: When tigers became citizens, refugees 'tiger-food'|url=http://sanhati.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/marichjhapi.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://insightyv.com/?p=879|title=Remembering Marichjhapi Massacre, 1979|work=insightyv.com|access-date=16 May 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707120303/http://insightyv.com/?p=879|archive-date=7 July 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref>}}

After leading the Left Front government for consecutive five terms, Jyoti Basu retired from active politics and [[Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee]] was appointed as his successor. In 2000, the Left Front came back to the power with Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee again assuming the office of the Chief Minister.<ref name=haunt>{{cite news|last=Bhattacharya |first=Snigdhendu |title=Ghost of Marichjhapi returns to haunt |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2011/Ghost-of-Marichjhapi-returns-to-haunt/AssemblyElections2011-DontMiss/SP-Article10-689463.aspx |access-date=5 August 2013 |newspaper=The Hindustan Times |date=25 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610222045/http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2011/Ghost-of-Marichjhapi-returns-to-haunt/AssemblyElections2011-DontMiss/SP-Article10-689463.aspx |archive-date=10 June 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The state's economic recovery gathered momentum after [[economic reforms in India]] were introduced in the early 1990s by the [[Government of India|central government]], aided by election of a new reformist [[Chief Minister]] [[Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee]] in 2000. About during 2007, armed activists, and Maoists have been organizing terrorist attacks in some parts of the state,<ref name=voamaoist>{{cite web
 |url=http://www.voanews.com/bangla/archive/2005-07/2005-07-22-voa10.cfm
 |title=Maoist on Rise in West Bengal
 |access-date=2006-09-11
 |last=Ghosh Roy
 |first=Paramasish
 |date=2005-07-22
 |work=VOA Bangla
 |publisher=[[Voice of America]]
 |url-status=dead
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212062125/http://www.voanews.com/bangla/archive/2005-07/2005-07-22-voa10.cfm
 |archive-date=12 December 2007
 |df=dmy-all
}}</ref><ref name=satpmcc>{{cite web|url=http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/terroristoutfits/MCC.htm|title=Maoist Communist Centre (MCC)|access-date=2006-09-11|work=Left-wing Extremist group|publisher=South Asia Terrorism Portal|archive-date=12 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120212092516/http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/terroristoutfits/MCC.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> while clashes with the administration have taken place at several sensitive places on the issue of industrial land acquisition.<ref name=singur1>{{cite news|title=Several hurt in Singur clash|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/jan/28singur.htm|work=rediff News|publisher=Rediff.com India Limited|date=28 January 2007|access-date=2007-03-15|archive-date=11 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211194310/http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/jan/28singur.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=nandi1>{{cite news|title=Red-hand Buddha: 14 killed in Nandigram re-entry bid|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070315/asp/frontpage/story_7519166.asp |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121204181250/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070315/asp/frontpage/story_7519166.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 4, 2012 |publisher=[[The Telegraph (Kolkata)|The Telegraph]] |date=15 March 2007 |access-date=2007-03-15 }}</ref>

====Singur Tata Nano controversy====
{{main|Singur Tata Nano controversy}}
The [[Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee]] government wanted to set up a [[Tata Nano]] factory in [[Singur]], [[Hooghly district|Hooghly]]. [[Tata Motors]] started constructing a factory to manufacture a car, [[Tata Nano]] which was estimated to cost $2,500. The small cars were scheduled to roll out of the factory by 2008. [[Singur]] was chosen by the [[Tata Motors]] among six sites offered by the West Bengal state government. The project faced massive opposition from displaced farmers. The unwilling farmers were given political support by West Bengal's then-opposition leader [[Mamata Banerjee]]. Banerjee's "Save Farmland" movement was supported by civil rights and human rights groups, legal bodies, and social activists like [[Medha Patkar]], Anuradha Talwar, [[Arundhati Roy]] and [[Magsaysay]] and [[Jnanpith Award]]-winning author [[Mahasweta Devi]]. Leftist activists also shared the platform with Banerjee's Trinamool Congress. The Tatas finally decided to move out of Singur on 3 October 2008. On 7 October 2008, the Tatas announced that they would be setting up the Tata Nano plant in [[Sanand]] in [[Gujarat]] after [[Ratan Tata]] received a call from the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, [[Narendra Modi]].

====Nandigram violence====
{{main|Nandigram violence}}
{{See also|Maoist involvement during Nandigram protests}}
The [[Nandigram violence]] was an incident in [[Nandigram]], [[West Bengal]] where, under the orders of the Left Front government, more than 4,000 heavily armed police stormed the Nandigram area with the aim of stamping out protests against the West Bengal government's plans to expropriate {{convert|10000|acre|km2}} of land for a [[Special Economic Zone]] (SEZ) to be developed by the Indonesian-based Salim Group. The area of Nandigram had turned into an internal-security threat for the country.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Terrorism and Rising Security Concerns in West Bengal {{!}} IPCS|url=http://www.ipcs.org/comm_select.php?articleNo=2778|access-date=2021-11-25|website=www.ipcs.org|archive-date=29 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629172924/http://www.ipcs.org/comm_select.php?articleNo=2778|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[All India Trinamool Congress|Trinamool Congress]], collaborating with the [[Communist Party of India (Maoist)|Maoists]], had isolated the entire area from the rest of the country, by cutting up all the roads and blocking them by tree trunks. Weapons were being collected and stored for an armed rebellion.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=December 24, 2009|title=2007-Nandigram violence: A state of failure|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20091228-2007-nandigram-violence-a-state-of-failure-741632-2009-12-24|access-date=2021-11-25|magazine=India Today|language=en|archive-date=15 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191015205327/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/20091228-2007-nandigram-violence-a-state-of-failure-741632-2009-12-24|url-status=live}}</ref> The villagers were brainwashed against the Government and the progressive scheme. However, the shootings, in recent developments have proved to be a conspiracy of the [[All India Trinamool Congress|TMC]] and [[Communist Party of India (Maoist)|Maoists]] alike. Indeed, the police had to resort to firing when the armed mob refused to disperse even after much persuasion and  tear gassing and started attacking the police. The then Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya was awarded a clean-chit for non-involvement in the Nandigram violence by the CBI.<ref>{{Cite web|title=CBI clean chit to Buddha govt on Nandigram firing|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/|access-date=2021-11-25|website=The Times of India|archive-date=24 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524234523/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> The police shot 13 villagers dead and one died from a very suspicious knife-attack, thus sparking controversies whether the police were, in the least, the ones to fire. At least 30 police officers were injured in the incident.

The SEZ controversy started when the government of West Bengal decided that the [[Salim Group]] of Indonesia<ref>For more information on the Salim Group please see [[Sudono Salim]]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/97/0822/biz1.html |title=Asia Week |access-date=26 April 2024 |archive-date=14 November 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114084931/http://www.asiaweek.com/asiaweek/97/0822/biz1.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.saliltripathi.com/articlesReview/8Oct98Review.html |title=Far Easter Economic Review October 1998 |access-date=26 April 2024 |archive-date=19 July 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020719183321/http://www.saliltripathi.com/articlesReview/8Oct98Review.html |url-status=live }}</ref> would set up a [[Chemical industry|chemical hub]] under the SEZ policy at Nandigram, a rural area in the district of [[Midnapore East|Purba Medinipur]]. The villagers took over the administration of the area and all the roads to the villages were cut off.

==Land reforms and agriculture==
Left Front is considered for the most successful land reforms in [[India]]. While land reform had not made much headway in most of India, West Bengal has achieved many notable land reforms compared to it in fields like redistributing agricultural land ownership, regulating sharecropping relationships, and distributing homestead plots.<ref name="land1"/>

===Operation Barga===
{{Main article|Operation Barga}}
In the first term of Left Front government, one of the main key priorities were [[land redistribution]]<ref name=bud>''People's Democracy''. ''[http://archives.peoplesdemocracy.in/2007/0624/06242007_buddhadev.htm Thirty Years of Left Front Government in West Bengal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150401020426/http://archives.peoplesdemocracy.in/2007/0624/06242007_buddhadev.htm |date=1 April 2015 }}''</ref><ref name=pra>''People's Democracy''. ''[http://archives.peoplesdemocracy.in/2006/0625/06252006_prakash.htm West Bengal Left Front Govt: A Historic Anniversary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161115131946/http://archives.peoplesdemocracy.in/2006/0625/06252006_prakash.htm |date=15 November 2016 }}''</ref> and the most effective was [[Operation Barga]]. Introduced in 1978, it was a comprehensive and radical measure for land reforms which was further formalised through two legislation in 1979 and 1980.<ref name=":46">{{Cite journal|last=Chattopadhyay|first=Suhas|date=1979|title=Operation Barga: A Comment|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=14|issue=49|pages=2022–2024|jstor=4368206|issn=0012-9976}}</ref><ref name=":47">{{Cite journal|last1=Banerjee|first1=Abhijit V.|last2=Gertler|first2=Paul J.|last3=Ghatak|first3=Maitreesh|date=2002|title=Empowerment and Efficiency: Tenancy Reform in West Bengal|journal=Journal of Political Economy|volume=110|issue=2|pages=239–280|doi=10.1086/338744|jstor=10.1086/338744|s2cid=35935397|issn=0022-3808}}</ref> The operation sough to actively identify and record ''bargardars'' (trans: [[sharecroppers]]) by present occupational status without any reliance on ancestral records, producing official documentation for enforcement of the rights of ''bargardars'' to crop share from landlords and [[priority right]]s to lands in cases of both voluntary sale of land and forced sale of ceiling surplus lands.<ref name=":48">{{Cite book|last=Pal|first=Sasanka Sekhar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jgzePgAACAAJ|title=Impact of Tenancy Reforms on Production and Income Distribution: A Case Study of Operation Barga in West Bengal|date=1995|publisher=National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":47" /> The effects of Operation Barga included:
* The number of recorded ''bargardars'' increased from 0.4 to 1.2 million by 1982,<ref name=":46" /><ref name=":48" /> and resulted in the coverage of 50%+ [[Wage share|output share]] concessions towards ''bargardars'' to increase from 10% to over 50% among registered ''bargardars'' and over 33% for unregistered ''bargardars''.<ref name=":47" /><ref name=":49">{{Cite journal|date=18 November 2006|title=Operation Barga|url=http://team.univ-paris1.fr/teamperso/DEA/Cursus/M1/Doc4%20Operation%20Barga.pdf|journal=Théorie et Applications en Microéconomie et Macroéconomie|publisher=[[University of Paris]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061118154131/http://team.univ-paris1.fr/teamperso/DEA/Cursus/M1/Doc4%20Operation%20Barga.pdf|archive-date=18 November 2006}}</ref> 
* The number of landless rural households decreased by 35% during this period.<ref name=":55">{{Cite journal|last=Lieten|first=G. K.|date=1990|title=Depeasantisation Discontinued: Land Reforms in West Bengal|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=25|issue=40|pages=2265–2271|jstor=4396841|issn=0012-9976}}</ref>
* Through Operation Barga, more than 1.39 million acres of land was acquired by the government<ref name="auto2"/> and about 1.1 million acres of land was distributed among 2.54 million relatively land-poor households<ref name="land1"/> including 1.4 million share-croppers<ref name=nlr>''New Left Review''. ''[https://newleftreview.org/II/70/kheya-bag-red-bengal-s-rise-and-fall Red Bengal's Rise and Fall]''</ref><ref name="Chakrabarty2014">{{cite book|author=Bidyut Chakrabarty|title=Left Radicalism in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R0xWBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA107|year=2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-66805-3|page=107}}</ref> and 3.04 lakh poor peasants of the state.<ref name="auto"/> This counts about 8% of arable land and 34% of agricultural households.<ref name="land1"/> About 800,000 acres of land were distributed to 1.5 million heads of households between 1978 and 1982.<ref name=nlr/>
* Between 1977 and 1980, the Government oversaw the identification of nearly 1 million [[acres]] of ceiling surplus land and its subsequent redistribution.<ref name=":292">{{Cite journal|last=Patnaik|first=Utsa|date=2010|title=Jyoti Basu and Bengal|journal=Social Scientist|volume=38|issue=7/8|pages=56–60|jstor=27866723|issn=0970-0293}}</ref>
* The implementation of the operation is noted to have improved the social status, dignity and prestige that was unheard of in the previous political regime.<ref name=":48" /><ref name=":47" /> From 1978 to 1988 gram panchayats, the representation of bargadars, landless labourers and cultivators (with landholding of below 3 acres) increased from 1.8% to 11.3%, from 4.8% to 16.8% and from 21.8% to 30.2%.<ref name="auto2"/> This also gave security and decision-making power to the poor and the bargadars.
* In addition it accounted for approximately 36% of agricultural growth during the period as a consequence of greater production incentives due to a lack of [[eviction]] threat and increased output stake.<ref name=":49" />
* The operation is also credited to have created a cushion against [[Farmers' suicides in India|farmers' suicides]] in West Bengal by improving the [[economic stability]] of farmers and decreasing economic inequality.<ref>{{Cite web|date=17 April 2006|title=Did Operation Barga save Bengal farmers|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/archive/did-operation-barga-save-bengal-farmers/162221/|website=[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]]|language=en-US}}</ref>

West Bengal accounted for 20% of total land redistribution in the country even though it accounts just 3.5% of total Indian land. Up to the year 2000, 1.6 million bargadars have been officially recorded as 86% of sharecroppers existing in the state. Also about a third of total cultivators in the state have been recorded as bargadars. Almost 9,00,000 bargadars were recorded between 1978 and 1988. But between 1988 and 1997 the process slowed down coming to less than 90,000 bargadars.<ref name="auto2"/> As of September 1999, nearly 296,000, households had benefited by receiving homestead.<ref name="land1"/>

===Patta land===
One of further successful land redistribution was done by ''[[Patta (land deed)|pattas]]''. Land has been redistributed among 2.745 million 'pattadars'. Barga and patta both had covered 41.3% of the rural population of West Bengal. The state alone accounted for 47% of all India beneficiaries. Between 1993 and 1999 around 95,000 acres were given to pattadars.<ref name="auto2"/> 6.25 lakh joint patta and 1.65 lakh female patta have been distributed.<ref name="auto"/>

===Major land reforms, acts and timeline===
There were numerous acts with a number of significant amendments from the LF Government. Some of them are,<ref name="land1">{{cite report |author= |author-link= |first1=Tim |last1=Hanstad |first2=Jennifer |last2=Brown|date= |title= Land Reform Law and Implementation in West Bengal: Lessons and Recommendations|publisher=Rural Development Institute |page= |docket= |access-date= |url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0197397582900236/pdf?md5=551ecd621429dda992c84218bf0b6f74&pid=1-s2.0-0197397582900236-main.pdf}}</ref>
* ''West Bengal Town and Country (Planning & Development) Act, 1979''
* ''West Bengal Land Reform (Amendment) Act 1981''
* ''The West Bengal Inland Fisheries Act, 1984 ''
* ''West Bengal Thika Tenancy (Acquisition and Regulation) Act, 2001''
* ''East Kolkata Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Act, 2006''

In the 1990s, the land reforms process slowed down. Those who were given land or cultivation rights through land reforms could not hold it because of rising input prices and falling output prices (see [[34 years of Left Front rule in West Bengal#1990-2009|Agriculture, 1990s]]) resulting difficulty in cultivation. As a result, 13.23% of pattadars and 14.37% of bargadars gave up their cultivation rights or had lost their land. The number of landless rural households was also increasing throughout the 1990s, i.e. from 39.6% in 1987–88 to 41.6% in 1999–2000. Small cultivators faced more land loss specially in regions where large-scale operation was the most profitable. In 1999–2000, rural-urban inequality increased more precisely. The village consumption per capita was 52% of per capita urban consumption in West Bengal compared to 56% as of all India and nearly 80% of agriculturally advanced states like Punjab, Haryana.<ref name="auto2"/>

{| class="wikitable"
!colspan="8" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|Land reform stats (up to 2001)<ref name="land1"/>
|-
!colspan="4" style="background: #ffffcc;" | Ceiling-Surplus Reform
|-
!colspan="2" | Declared surplus land
|colspan="2" |1.37 million acres
|-
!colspan="2" |Vested surplus land
|colspan="2" |1.28 million acres
|-
!colspan="2" |Redistributed ceiling-surplus land
|colspan="2" |1.04 million acres (7.8% of arable land)
|-
!colspan="2" |Households to receive ceiling surplus land
|colspan="2" |2.54 million
|-
!colspan="4" style="background: #ffffcc;" |Tenancy Reform
|-
!colspan="2" |Land covered by tenancy reform
|colspan="2" |1.1 million acres
|-
!colspan="2" |Tenancy beneficiaries
|colspan="2" |1.49 million
|-
!colspan="4" style="background: #ffffcc;"|Total Beneficiaries Under All Reforms
|-
!colspan="2" |Households receiving homestead plots
|colspan="2"|296,000
|-
!colspan="2" | Total beneficiary households under ceiling surplus, tenancy, and homestead plots
|colspan="2"|Up to 4,316,000 (58.6% of agric. households)
|}

Irrigated area expanded from 32% to about 70% from 1977 to 2006.<ref name="land3"/> Up to 2006, Scheduled Caste beneficiaries in West Bengal were 1.04 million (49.5% of all India) and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries in West Bengal were 0.53 million (62% of All India).<ref name="land3">{{cite report |author=Surjya Kanta Mishra |date=2007 |title=On Agrarian Transition in West Bengal |url=https://cpim.org/marxist/200702_marxist_s.misra-agri-wb.pdf |publisher= |page= |docket= |access-date= |quote= |archive-date=24 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324215412/https://cpim.org/marxist/200702_marxist_s.misra-agri-wb.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Up to 2011, homestead land has been distributed to over 3.24 lakh landless labourers.<ref name="auto">{{cite report|author= |date= 2011|title= 7th Left Front Government in West Bengal|url= https://www.cpim.org/documents/2011-7th.LFG_achievements.pdf|publisher= CPI(M)|page= |docket= |access-date= |quote= |archive-date= 22 December 2023|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231222225216/https://www.cpim.org/documents/2011-7th.LFG_achievements.pdf|url-status= live}}</ref> In the 7th term (2006–2011), Left Front government brought land from willing farmers at a price 25% higher than the market price and redistributed them. 739.37 acres of land were purchased and redistributed to 5476 poor and landless families in the rural areas.<ref name="auto"/>

===Agriculture===
====1977–1990====
In the earlier terms of LF Government, agricultural production, grew at a spectacular rate, specially in the 1980s. West Bengal emerged as the largest rice producing state in India contributing more than 15 per cent of national production.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite journal|url=https://www.epw.in/journal/2006/04/special-articles/political-economy-west-bengal.html|title=Political Economy of West Bengal|date=June 5, 2015|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|pages=7–8|via=www.epw.in|archive-date=26 April 2024|access-date=26 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426132735/https://www.epw.in/journal/2006/04/special-articles/political-economy-west-bengal.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The agricultural growth jumped from an annual average of 0.6% between 1970–1980 to over 7% between 1980 and 1990.<ref name=":52">{{Cite journal|last1=Saha|first1=Anamitra|last2=Swaminathan|first2=Madhura|date=1994|title=Agricultural Growth in West Bengal in the 1980s: A Disaggregation by Districts and Crops|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=29|issue=13|pages=A2–A11|issn=0012-9976}}</ref> In the 80s, West Bengal moved from being a food importer to a food exporter and became the largest producer of rice outstripping the states of [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] which had previously held the status.<ref name=":52"/>
During the 1980s, overall foodgrains had a growth rate of 5.81%, which was only 0.96% in 1979.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/money/special/how-the-communists-killed-bengals-industry/20180319.htm|title=How the Communists killed Bengal's industry|website=m.rediff.com|access-date=26 April 2024|archive-date=26 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426132734/https://m.rediff.com/amp/money/special/how-the-communists-killed-bengals-industry/20180319.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Boro cultivation====
Left Front introduced high yielding boro rice cultivation. Boro was an extremely labour-intensive form of rice cultivation carried on by small cultivators in small plots of land using mainly family labour. Due to land reforms and Operations Barga, Boro cultivation was successful among farmers. This gave advantage to the farmers by raising more than one crop in a given year. Also the requisite water for boro cultivation was available from minor irrigations like shallow tube well. During the 1980s boro cultivation grew at an average annual rate of 12 per cent.<ref name="auto2"/> Total factor productivity growth for the period was more rapid in West Bengal (3.93% annually) than in any other major Indian state.<ref name="land1"/>

====1990–2009====
The agricultural growth significantly slowed down in the 1990s due to a number of reasons. Boro cultivation could not be expanded due to unavailability of water and stopped. Demand and productivity both did not increased and West Bengal failed to export its rice to other states and abroad due to poor marketing strategies. Foodgrains input prices increased but the profit was less. Growthrate of foodgrain decreased to 2.13% in 1994. As a result, the percentage of cultivators in the rural workforce in 1991 fell from 38% in 1991 to 25.4% in 2001. At the same time, growth of boro cultivation slowed down to 5 per cent. The overall agricultural growth became around 2% in the 1990s.<ref name="auto2"/>

Despite overall agricultural slowdown in the 1990s, 2000s were more competitively more better. During the 7th LF government, agriculture has grown at 3.1% in West Bengal from 2006–07 to 2009–10, compared to only 2.1% at the national level. West Bengal produced 14.3 million tons of rice in 2009–10, which was the highest for any state in the country, accounting for 16% of all-India production.<ref name="auto"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="8" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|
Types of occupational in field of agriculture in Rural West Bengal (1991)<ref name="auto2"/>
|-
! Type of work
!'''1991'''
!'''2001'''
|-
|Cultivator
|38.4%
|25.4%
|-
|Agri worker
|32.3%
|33%
|-
|Non-agri worker
|29.3%
|41.6%
|}

In 2006, the index of cropping intensity in West Bengal was 180, the second highest in India. The area under high yielding seeds increased from 28% to 96%. About 83% of the gross cropped area consisted different types of high yielding crops.<ref name="land3"/>  West Bengal became also the first among all states in the production of vegetables (12.8 million tons in 2009–10). The LF government spent Rs. 400 crore to procure potatoes at an assured price of Rs. 3.50 per kg to prevent the losses of potato growers.<ref name="auto"/>

==Political reforms==

===Panchayat raj===
"Democratic [[decentralisation]]" of rural power has been one of the most prominent achievements of the Left Front in West Bengal.<ref name="auto2"/> Left Front and Jyoti Basu are credited to have been successful in the introduction of [[grassroots democracy]] and self governing units in West Bengal which substantially improved [[Transparency (behavior)|bureaucratic transparency]], [[Irrigation in India|irrigation work]], [[rural infrastructure]] and [[political participation]] and as a result [[standards of living]].<ref name=":45" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Mathew|first=George|title=Panchayati Raj from Legislation to Movement|date=1994|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=978-81-7022-517-1|pages=79–86|language=en}}</ref>

The Left Front government amended and implemented the provisions of the Panchayat Act.<ref name=":42">{{Cite journal|last=Acharya|first=Poromesh|date=1993|title=Panchayats and Left Politics in West Bengal|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=28|issue=22|pages=1080–1082|issn=0012-9976|jstor=}}</ref><ref name=":45">{{Cite journal|last1=Basu|first1=Subho|last2=Majumder|first2=Auritro|date=1 June 2013|title=Dilemmas of Parliamentary Communism|journal=Critical Asian Studies|volume=45|issue=2|pages=167–200|doi=10.1080/14672715.2013.792569|s2cid=147986419|issn=1467-2715}}</ref> On 4 June 1978, local body elections were resumed after 14 years and the first direct elections were held to elect 56,000 representatives from 15 zila parishads, 324 panchayat samitis and 3,242 gram panchayats in West Bengal.<ref name=":42" /> On 4 June 1978 three-tier [[panchayat]] local bodies were elected across the state, by elections in which the Left Front won a landslide victory.<ref name=bud/> By 1993, the number of representatives was expanded to over 71,000 representatives.

Other efforts of taken during successive Left Front Governments was:
* Woman reservation was extended up to 50% from 33%.
* Around 35% of Government expanditure was done through the three-tier panchayat system.
* The Gram Sangsad was formed in 1992 to ensure people's participation in the panchayat system.
* Panchayat system helped to extend the rural infrastructure.

===Other political developments===
Seeing distribution of central government funds as unjust and politicized, the Left Front government began measures to pressure the central government to change its approach towards the state governments. These movements eventually resulted in the [[Sarkaria Commission]].<ref name="Chakrabarty2014b">{{cite book|author=Bidyut Chakrabarty|title=Communism in India: Events, Processes and Ideologies|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oEtRBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA81|year=2014|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-997489-4|page=81}}</ref>

The Left Front government was also credited with coping with the refugee situation created by the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]] and severe floods.<ref name="Chander2004"/>

==Industry==
===Overall===
West Bengal had its major industries in [[Kolkata]], [[Durgapur]], [[Howrah]], [[Hugli-Chinsura|Hooghly]], [[Bakreshwar]] and the mineral-rich western highlands.<ref name=wbidcindinf>{{cite web|url=http://www.wbidc.com/about_wb/industrial_infrastructure.htm|title=Industrial infrastructure|publisher=West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation|access-date=5 March 2012|archive-date=5 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405152957/http://www.wbidc.com/about_wb/industrial_infrastructure.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> From 1977, Left Front's industrial policy focused on small companies and thus bigger industries suffered until 1994 when again an industrial policy was announced but based on economic liberalization. This policy revamped the major industries in the 2000s.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="10" style="background:#ffdead;"| Overall industrial stats
|-
! Parameters
! colspan="8" |Year-wise percentage
! Ref(s)

|-
| rowspan="2" style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Share in (organised) industrial production in India'''
|colspan="2"|'''1980–1981'''
|colspan="2"|'''1989–1990'''
|colspan="2"|'''1997–1998'''
|colspan="2"|'''2007–2008'''
|rowspan="2"|<ref name="uoc"/><ref name="auto2"/>
|-
|colspan="2"|11.53%
|colspan="2"|5.79% ({{down}} 5.74%)
|colspan="2"|5.10% ({{down}} 0.69%)
|colspan="2"|3.90% ({{down}} 1.20%)
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background:#FFFFCC";| '''Share in (organised) industrial employment in India'''
|colspan="2"|'''1977–1978'''
|colspan="2"|'''1997–1998'''
|colspan="2"|'''2001–2002'''
|colspan="2"|'''2007–2008'''
|rowspan="2"|<ref name="uoc"/>
|-
|colspan="2"|{{dash}}
|colspan="2"|8.30%
|colspan="2"|7.00% ({{down}} 1.30%)
|colspan="2"|4.90% ({{down}} 2.10%)
|}

===1977–1993===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|colspan="2" style="background:#ffdead;"| '''Total Investment projects implemented'''<ref name="ippg">{{cite report |date=June 2007 |title= The Decline and Recent Resurgence of the Manufacturing Sector of West Bengal: Implications for Pro-Poor Growth from an Institutional Point of View |publisher= School of Environment & Development, [[University of Manchester]]|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/57a08bf9e5274a27b2000ec7/IPPGDP10.pdf}}</ref>
|-
!'''1977–1981'''
| ₹1737.6 million
|-
!'''1982–1988'''
|₹7740.1 million
|}
After coming to power, the Left Front government announced industrial policy of in 1978 which gave high priority to small scale Industries and cottage industries to generate employment in industry and curtailed the monopoly power of big business companies, specially the multi-nationals in the organized sector. The Government declared than no new investment by multi-nationals would be allowed in the state.<ref name="uoc"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/economy/why-the-lack-of-industry-in-west-bengal--64679|title=Why the lack of industry in West Bengal?|website=www.downtoearth.org.in |date=22 May 2019 }}</ref> For an industrial rejuvenation in the state, LF government came up with a four-point demand from the center: "(i) more licenses should be granted for investment in the private sector in the state; (ii) government investment in the public sector should be increased; (iii) fund allocated for development in the state should be increased; and (iv) a host of regulations hindering establishment of new industries in the state should be relaxed". Jyoti Basu even made efforts to mobilize non-Congress chief ministers from a number of other states, to put collective pressure on the government at the center, but with no success.<ref name="uoc"/>

In this period, industrial parameters steadily grew down. But Left's industrial policies was not the only cause of this industrial downfall. The other major causes for industries growing down in this period were:
* Until 1990, state's major industrial control was under the Central Government. States where the political party in Government was aligned with the central government took the maximum benefit of this pro-business attitudinal change.<ref name="ippg"/> West Bengal having non-aligned LF Government did not much importance and big industries were started to be taken away to other states. The contradicting Congress-led central government at that time delayed new projects in the state like the for the clearance of making thermal power plant in Bakreshwar, the state had to wait seven years fue to procrastination at the center.<ref name="uoc"/> West Bengal got a "relief from centre's control" after the economic reforms of 1991. By 1991, the economy had suffered major losses due to issues beyond the state's control.<ref name="auto4"/> 
* Industrialists did not show interest in starting new business in the state because of the militant trade unionism in the industry, which was primarily supported by the 1960s United Front government. There were 894 instances in 1969 and 340 instances in 1971 of work stoppage due to industrial disputes. In 1977 there were 397 instances of work stoppage happened in which 206 were strikes and the remaining 191 were lockouts. In the successive Governments Left Front government stopped supporting militant labor movements. It began to promote bilateral negotiations between labor and the management avoiding confrontation. Following the years the total number of major industrial disputes came down to 208 (78 strikes and 130 lockouts) in 1980 and 213 (21 strikes, 192 lockouts) in 1991.<ref name="uoc"/><ref name="ippg"/> Though numerous factories suffered for this and have either closed down or have laid off a large number of workers.
* During the 1980s due to the central Government, massive retrenchment of labor happened in organized industry all across the country in which West Bengal lost 177,000 in the 80s but created only 91,000 new jobs after the reform in 90s.<ref name="uoc"/>
* Production cost was higher than other states.
:{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Parameters
!colspan="4" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|Year-wise percentage
! Ref(s)
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background:#FFFFCC";| '''Production cost per ₹1,000 of Gross Output'''
|colspan="1"|'''1976–1977'''
|colspan="1"|'''1980–1981'''
|colspan="1"|'''1985–1986'''
|colspan="1"|'''1989–1990'''
|rowspan="2"|<ref name="uoc"/>
|-
|colspan="1"| ₹843
|colspan="1"| ₹877 ({{IncreaseNegative}} ₹34)
|colspan="1"| ₹925 ({{IncreaseNegative}} ₹48)
|colspan="1"| ₹941 ({{IncreaseNegative}} ₹16)
|}
* Another cause was managerial incompetence. Companies like Kesoram Cotton Mills and Metal Box, Hind Motors have closed for this reason.<ref name="uoc"/>
* Due to Central Government's freight equalisation scheme coal and other natural resources were carried at equivalent prices across the country. Many industries were shifted out to other parts of India from West Bengal.<ref name="auto1"/>

:{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Parameters
!colspan="8" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|Year-wise percentage (1977–1993)
! Ref(s)
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background:#FFFFCC;"| ''' Share of West Bengal in the ex factory value of (organised) industrial output'''
|colspan="2"|'''1977–1978'''
|colspan="2"|'''1980–1981'''
|colspan="2"|'''1987–1988'''
|colspan="2"|'''1990–1992'''
|rowspan="2"|<ref name="ippg"/>
|-
|colspan="2"|10.5%
|colspan="2"|9.8% ({{down}} 0.7%)
|colspan="2"|7.2% ({{down}} 2.6%)
|colspan="2"|6.0% ({{down}} 1.2%)
|}

In many cases, experienced displaced workers started their own factories in small sheds. These small entrepreneurs have emerged as sub-contractors of bigger factories from which they had been laid off. As a result, numerous small industrial establishments came in the unorganized sector. This led to the solution of employment problem but overall the economic condition of industrial workers became deteriorated.<ref name="uoc"/>
In the 1990s, West Bengal had turned into a small-scale, production-dominated economical state, most of these units were unregistered. The share of unregistered manufacturing in the manufacturing state domestic product (SDP) of the state almost gone to 60% in the 1990s from an average of 30% in the 1980s.<ref name="auto2"/>  89.2% of total industrial employment was generated by the small scale industries compared to Gujarat, Maharashtra and all India who stood at 70.07%, 67.3% and 81.12%.<ref name="ippg"/> The number of informal sector manufacturing units also increased, specially in the rural areas.<ref name="auto2"/> Most of them did not have any well-defined property live on illegally encroached government or railway land or pavements of city streets to sell their ware.<ref name="auto2"/> But due to poor quality, untimely delivery and sales services the local and small scale industries never grow or compete at the national level.<ref name="ippg"/> Though in 1981–87, growth rate of manufacturing was below 2 per cent, it grew to above 3 per cent during 1987–94.<ref name="auto2"/> Jessop & Company, Braithwaite, Burn & Company, Indian Standard Wagon, GKW (then Guest Keen Williams) and Metal Box were some companies who were very much affected. Workers were paid only minimum wages.<ref name="auto1"/>

In 1978 while amounts of per capita industrial investment in private sector were ₹670 for all-India, and ₹428 in West Bengal, in 1994 the figures stood at ₹9,177 for all-India, and ₹4,376 in West Bengal, compared to ₹22,776 in Gujarat, ₹12,385 in Maharashtra.<ref name="uoc"/> Though new companies were created at this period like Shree Cement (1979), Balrampur Chini Mills (1979), Orient Cement (1979), Skiper Limited (1981), Century Plyboard (1982), Kolpona Industries (1985), Haldia Petrochemicals(1985), Himadri Chemical And Industry (1987), Magma Finkorp (1988), Tata Metalics (1990) etc.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="8" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|
Number of registered (organised) factories in various types of Industries in West Bengal (1977–1993)<ref name="uoc"/>
|-
! Type of industries
!'''1977'''
!'''1980'''
!'''1986'''
!'''1990'''
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Tea'''
|261
|266
|273
|278
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Cotton Textiles'''
|255
|275
|293
|305
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Jute Mills'''
|74
|73
|77
|78
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Chemical Products'''
|350
|390
|501
|533
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Iron & Steel'''
|4
|4
| N.A.
| N.A.
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Engineering Industries'''
|2663
|2971
|3667
|4149
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"|Total
|5837
|6421
|8064
|8960
|}

Though, the employment problem was solved due to both of the organised and unorganised sectors.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="8" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|
Workers employed per year (1977–1993)<ref name="uoc"/>
|-
! Type of industries
!'''1977'''
!'''1980'''
!'''1986'''
!'''1990'''
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Tea'''
|23,840
| 26,606
| 26,612
| 24,923
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Cotton Textiles'''
|52,161
| 55,206
| 55,930
| 45,815
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Jute Mills'''
|230,187
|244,052
| 242,900
| 222,214
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Chemical Products'''
|31,485
| 34,201
| 35,961
| 34,147
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Iron & Steel'''
|40,632
|41,328
| NA
| NA
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Engineering Industries'''
|318,439
| 334,738
| 350,766
| 360,610
|-
|style="background:#FFFFCC;"|Total
| 826,000
| 875,000
| 901,000
|881,000
|}
The per capita net state domestic product (NSDP) declined to 7th in 1990-91 having 6th in 1980–81.<ref name="auto2"/>

===1994–2000===
In 1994 the LF government announced a new industrial policy based on economic liberalization. In the new industrial policy, the LF Government declared that it would welcome foreign multi-national investment and technology. Priority was given to both public and private investment (domestic and foreign) in industry. Private investment was to be allowed in the power sector, in some important sectors within manufacturing projects were to be launched as public-private joint ventures. Improvement and upgrading of industrial infrastructure would be indispensable. The government had also given special attention to "petrochemicals and downstream industries, electronics and information technology, iron, steel, metallurgical and engineering, textiles, leather and leather products, food processing, medicinal plants, rubber, palm oil and tea, manufacture of basic drugs, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, minerals and mine based industries, gems, jewellery and promotion of tourism and tourism related activities".<ref name="ippg"/><ref name="uoc">{{cite report |date=May 2011 |title= The Political Economy of Decline of Industry in West Bengal: Experiences of a Marxist State Within a Mixed Economy |publisher=[[University of Connecticut]] |quote=}}</ref> The Left Front government made a deliberate effort to project itself as a 'business friendly' Government. The new industrial policy of 1994 was acclaimed as much pro-industry and it was more practically implemented and turned more favourable towards industrialisation during Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's chief ministerial rule.<ref name="auto4"/>

In this period many major industrial changes took place. West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation was established. Promotional campaigns were undertaken in collaboration with various Chambers of Commerce and industries. Mitsubishi and Chatterjee Soros Fund Management from abroad and Tata Group within the country collaborated with the state in a  public-private joint venture at the Haldia Petro Chemical Project successfully.<ref name="uoc"/> In 1991–2001, ₹197752.0 million were implemented in industrial projects.

After 1991, the Central Government gave much control to the state government. After 1991, industries which are exempt from industrial licensing, had to file an Industrial Entrepreneur Memoranda (IEM) with Secretariat of Industrial Approvals (SIA). Between  August 1991 and October 2006, 3844 IEMs are proposed with an investment amount of ₹85,968 Crores, in which 475 IEMs were really implemented with an investment amount of ₹28,963 Crores. West Bengal did comparatively better at implementation than other states.<ref name="ippg"/> But despite the industrial policies, West Bengal only attracted only 4.73% of all applications for investment in the private sector in the period of 1991 to 2003, the share of proposed
investment was even lower at 3.85%, in which 35.4% of the planned investment was actually implemented, compared to Maharashtra and Gujarat which attracted one third of the whole investment and 55% was implemented in Gujarat. Over the period August 1991 – January 2003, per capita investment in the private sector was ₹1952 in West Bengal compared to ₹20,725 in Gujarat.<ref name="uoc"/>
Again one of the main causes of no industries coming to state was militant unionism, which was still higher than other states. Also production cost per ₹1000 of gross output was still much higher, which was ₹883 in 1994–1995 compared to Gujrat, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu having ₹818, ₹820 and ₹827 as costs.<ref name="uoc"/>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Parameters
!colspan="2" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|Year-wise percentage
! Ref(s)
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background:#FFFFCC";| '''Production cost per ₹1,000 of Gross Output'''
|colspan="1"|'''1994–1995'''
|colspan="1"|'''1999–2000'''
|rowspan="2"|<ref name="uoc"/>
|-
|colspan="1"| ₹883
|colspan="1"|₹878 ({{DecreasePositive}} ₹05)
|}
The manufacturing growth started to increase in the 1990s and stood at 6.75% compared to 4.24% in the 1980s, which is the second highest growth rate in the 1990s, only next to Karnataka.<ref name="auto2"/>

===Industrialisation drive in 2000s===
The economic decline stopped in 2000–2001.<ref name="auto2"/> After 2003, industries in the state started to come up in much higher pace and West Bengal became rapidly competitive with Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.<ref name="uoc"/> The state saw a re-emergence of manufacturing sector that was declining through the 80s and 90s. West Bengal only accounted 3.8 per cent of the total number of industrial appeals implemented in India in 1992–1999 which increased to 12.2 per cent in 2000–2004 due to new scheme of incentives announced in 2000, replacing the old schemes of 1993 and 1999.<ref name="ippg"/> About 24 lakhs jobs were created during 2005–2011, in West Bengal, highest in India at that time, while Gujarat only created 14.9 lakh jobs. West Bengal had 12% industrial growth, highest in
India at that time.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://m.timesofindia.com/india/west-bengal-under-left-rule-did-better-than-modis-gujarat-model-cpm/articleshow/46548712.cms | title=West Bengal under Left rule did better than Modi's Gujarat model: CPM | newspaper=The Times of India | date=13 March 2015 | archive-date=20 December 2020 | access-date=26 April 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201220235927/https://m.timesofindia.com/india/West-Bengal-under-Left-rule-did-better-than-Modis-Gujarat-model-CPM/articleshow/46548712.cms | url-status=live }}</ref> The credit of the mass industrial shift was mostly gone to the then Industry minister [[Nirupam Sen (politician)|Nirupam Sen]] and chief minister [[Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/nirupam-sen-veteran-cpim-leader-passes-away/article25817507.ece/ | title=Nirupam Sen, veteran CPI(M) leader, passes away | newspaper=The Hindu | date=24 December 2018 | archive-date=26 April 2024 | access-date=26 April 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426132852/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/nirupam-sen-veteran-cpim-leader-passes-away/article25817507.ece/amp/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="auto3"/><ref name="indiatoday.in">{{cite web | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/states/story/20060925-west-bengal-sees-amazing-industrial-turnaround-after-lull-782336-2006-09-25 | title=After two decades of industrial lull, West Bengal sees amazing turnaround in six years | date=25 September 2006 | access-date=26 April 2024 | archive-date=26 April 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240426132852/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/states/story/20060925-west-bengal-sees-amazing-industrial-turnaround-after-lull-782336-2006-09-25 | url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2006, chief minister [[Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee]] announced, the government has ensured industrial investment of Rs 6,000 crore for 2006.<ref name="auto3"/> Before that in 2002–2005 ₹86400.5 million industrial projects were iimplemented.<ref name="ippg"/> Between 2006 and 2010, over Rs. 36000 crore was spent to materialize 1313 large and medium industrial units.<ref name="auto"/> Production cost per Rs.1000 of gross output came down to ₹794, compared to Gujrat which was at ₹810.<ref name="uoc"/>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Parameters
!colspan="3" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|Year-wise percentage
! Ref(s)
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background:#FFFFCC";| '''Production cost per ₹1,000 of Gross Output'''
|colspan="1"|'''2002–2003'''
|colspan="1"|'''2005–2006'''
|colspan="1"|'''2008–2009'''
|rowspan="2"|<ref name="uoc"/>
|-
|colspan="1"| ₹860
|colspan="1"| ₹607 ({{DecreasePositive}} ₹253)
|colspan="1"|₹794 ({{IncreaseNegative}} ₹187)
|}
The industrial drive resulted:
* The industrialization drive created direct employment opportunities for 1.41 lakh people. 322 units were materialized in 2010, 80% of which were medium scale enterprises.<ref name="auto"/>
* Employment at the IT sector expanded from 32000 in 2006 to 105000 in 2010.<ref name="auto"/>
* The number of new small-scale units in the state has increased from 19884 in 2010 to 23000 in 2011 making employment opportunities for 2.2 lakh persons.<ref name="auto"/>
* The state saw about Rs 5,000 crore worth of FDI per year, the third highest after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.<ref name="indiatoday.in"/>

Left Front Government ensured investment of Rs 10 billion for the modernisation of [[IISCO steel plant]]. The sevent LF Government aimed revival of Bengal Chemicals, Gluconate, Infusion India, as well as the fertilizer industry and the Mining and Allied Machinery Corporation.<ref name="land3"/> In addition to this, many big industrialization projects were planned and many were executed, though some of them were pulled off. Some of the notable are:
* [[Japan]]ese company [[Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation]] built purified terephthalic acid (PTA) PTA plant at Haldia in April 2000, with an investment of 1475 crore, which was the single-largest Japanese foreign direct investment (FDI) then. In 2006, the plant doubled its production capacity last year, with more investment of Rs 1,450 crore.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web | url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/states/story/20070226-tata-motors-plant-in-west-bengal-749161-2007-02-26 | title=Tata Motors pull out Nano plant from West Bengal amid land troubles | date=26 February 2007 }}</ref> In 2005, MCC also decided to invest Rs 1,665 crore for setting up another PTA plant in West Bengal.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.financialexpress.com/archive/mitsubishi-chemical-to-invest-rs-1665-crore/154112/ | title=Archive News: Archive Latest News, Archive Today news, Archive Breaking News | date=4 November 2014 }}</ref> The two plants would slated to produce 12.7 million tonnes of main raw material for polyester annually.<ref name="indiatoday.in"/>
* [[Tata group]] started ₹1 lakh small cars project.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/left-creates-history-in-west-bengal/articleshow/1669536.cms?from=mdr|title=Left creates history in West Bengal|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=22 June 2006 }}</ref> The project started executing but resulted pulling out<ref name="ReferenceA"/>  due to [[Tata Nano Singur controversy]].
* The LF Government had an agreement with [[Indonesia]]'s largest [[Conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]] [[Salim Group]] in 2006, after chiefs minister's visit to Indonesia in 2005.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> The Salim Group-promoted New Kolkata International Development Pvt Ltd agreed to build a multi-product and chemical lab on an area of about 9,000 hectares<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/salim-group-hindalco-videocon-get-nod-for-sezs/story-GA8K66QOXl3ZaIvLN7jhjJ_amp.html | title=Salim Group, Hindalco, Videocon get nod for SEZs | date=6 October 2006 }}</ref> in [[Nandigram]] SEZ with an investment of Rs 48,000 crore,<ref name="ReferenceA"/> which is largest investment project in the state ever.<ref name="indiatoday.in"/> The project was not successful due to mass protests followed by [[Nandigram violence]] and [[Maoist involvement during Nandigram protests|Maoist insurgency]].
* The consumer electronics and home appliances gaint [[Videocon]] group had decided to invest to create IT and bio-tech special economic zone (SEZ) in Siliguri as a joint venture with a Thailand-based firm.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wap.business-standard.com/article-amp/companies/videocon-to-foray-into-biotech-with-sez-in-bengal-107062600036_1.html|title=Videocon to foray into biotech with SEZ in Bengal}}</ref>  LF Government allocated 100 acres plot for the SEZ project.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://m.economictimes.com/news/economy/infrastructure/videocon-gets-nod-to-set-up-it-biotech-sezs-in-wb/articleshow/2019235.cms | title=Videocon gets nod to set up IT, biotech SEZs in WB | newspaper=The Economic Times | date=23 September 2006 | last1=Ghosal | first1=Sutanuka }}</ref>
* [[Jindal Steel]] agreed to invest ₹35,000 crore<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wap.business-standard.com/article-amp/companies/a-chronology-of-events-that-may-have-derailed-jsw-steel-s-salboni-project-114120100641_1.html|title=A chronology of events that may have derailed JSW Steels Salboni project}}</ref>  in coal-mining and making steel plants and power generating units.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Though the project was drafted in February 2007, the project was planned in a 4500-acre area of [[Shalboni]], which was a [[Maoist]]-operated area. Due to [[Naxalite-Maoist insurgency|Maoist insurgency]] in that area and global economic meltdown, the project got held up to March 2010.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.financialexpress.com/archive/jsws-project-delayed-but-jindal-says-committed-to-bengal/652572/ | title=Jute industry facing threat of partial dilution for FY17-18 | date=3 May 2017 }}</ref>
* In October 2007, [[Videocon]] group decided to invest 15,000–20,000 crore to make 3-million tone steel plant and 12000 MW thermal power plant<ref>{{cite news | url=https://m.economictimes.com/industry/cons-products/durables/videocon-to-invest-rs-15k-cr-in-bengal/articleshow/2263853.cms | title=Videocon to invest Rs 15k cr in Bengal | newspaper=The Economic Times | date=8 August 2007 | last1=Ghosal | first1=Sutanuka }}</ref> at Jamuria over a land of 1,800 to 2,000 acres.<ref name="wap.business-standard.com">https://wap.business-standard.com/article-amp/companies/videocon-pulls-plug-on-rs-20-000-cr-bengal-project-112121800073_1.html</ref>

Though, after the change of the Government in 2011, many industrial projects stopped and were pulled of. Videocon pulled off its Jalpaiguri SEZ project in 2012 stating "latest business outlook of the region" as a cause.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/corporate/story/videocon-sez-project-withdraw-west-bengal-investments-28860-2012-01-17 | title=Videocon to withdraw SEZ project in West Bengal | date=17 January 2012 }}</ref> Videocon's steel plant and power plant project was also pulled off in 2013 due to problems regarding to coal linkage and Government's interdiction in land acquisition for industrial projects.<ref name="wap.business-standard.com"/>

==Economy, poverty and employment==
{{Further|Economy of West Bengal}}
The state was primarily dependent on agriculture and industry. In 2006, the GDP of the state (at $23 billion or Rs 2,300 crore) stood as the third highest in the country. The per capita growth is second only to Karnataka at 5.4 per cent. West Bengal also has the second highest compounded average growth rate in the country – 5.49 per cent against a national average of 4.41 per cent.<ref name="indiatoday.in"/> During the last LF Government, the state's OTR to GSDP share was between 4.22–4.59% which, according to this CAG report, was "lower than the target of 6.8 percent recommended by the 12th Finance Commission".<ref name="auto4"/> The state's gross fiscal deficit as a percentage of the GSDP was 4.2% in 2010–11. The GSDP growth rate at 2011–12 was 4.17 percent. In the 2010–11, during the 7th LF Government, Bengal's debt-GDSP ratio stood at its peak in 2010–11 at 41.9 percent, as per IIM Calcutta conducted survey, which was the highest in the country.<ref name="auto4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2021/04/26/data-doesnt-lie-did-bengal-economy-really-worsen-under-mamata-banerjee|title=Data doesn't lie: Did Bengal economy really worsen under Mamata Banerjee?|first=Snigdhendu|last=Bhattacharya|website=Newslaundry|date=26 April 2021 }}</ref> According to the ranking of states' per capita income at current prices, West Bengal's rank was 15th in 2011.<ref name="auto4"/> Bengal's revenue deficit as a percentage of the GSDP was 3.75 percent in 2010–11.<ref name="auto4"/> Debt to revenue receipt ratio came down to 396.47 percent in 2010–11.<ref name="auto4"/> The share of social service sector expenditure in the state's total expenditure was 9.8 percent in 2010–11.<ref name="auto4"/> Share of capital expenditure as a percentage of total expenditure was 3.61 percent in 2010–11.<ref name="auto4"/> West Bengal stood below the national average with respect to per capita consumption, housing, electrification, per capita consumption of electricity and poverty. In 1980–81 per capita income of West Bengal was 51 per cent of that of Kolkata, in 2000–01 it has gone down to 48.3 per cent. West Bengal State Domestic Product consisted of 31% in Agriculture, 4% in Fishery, 4% in Const, 26% in Services, 14% in Manufacturing, 14% in Trade and business and 7% in others. The share of the primary sector in the State Domestic Product declined from 32.9 per cent in 1999–2000 to 26.9 per cent in 2005–06. The share of the secondary sector increased from 14.8 per cent to 16.9 per cent. The share of the tertiary sector grew from 52.3 per cent to 56.2 per cent. This showed a shift from agriculture and rural manufacturing to low-quality employment in urban and rural areas. From 1999 to 2005, the annual rate of growth (%)  of employment was 3.63 in agriculture, 2.72 in Mining and quarrying, 1.53 in Manufacturing, -9.22 in electricity and water, 9.75 in construction, 3.6 in Trade, hotels and
restaurants, 3.63 in transport and 3.3 in labour force.<ref name="land3"/>

In 2001, West Bengal was a population of 80.2 million and a population density of 904 persons per square kilometer and the most densely populated. Agriculture is the mainstay for the majority of the population, comprises the largest sector of the economy, and utilizes the great majority of the state's land. Seventy-two percent of the states' population lives in rural areas and 53% of the labor force is engaged in agricultural production. Agriculture generates 31% of the state domestic product.<ref name="land1"/>
The quintile distribution of rural per capita income in West Bengal  in 1993–94 was lower than the all India level.<ref name="auto2"/> In 1997–1998 state's total debt/GSDP was 22.97.<ref name="ippg"/>

{| class="wikitable"
| rowspan="2" style="background:#FFFFCC";| '''Share of investment in public sector in India'''
|colspan="2"|'''1970–1979'''
|colspan="2"|'''1980–1989'''
|colspan="2"|'''1990–1999'''
|colspan="2"|'''2007–2008'''
|rowspan="2"|<ref name="uoc"/>
|-
|colspan="2"|10.7%
|colspan="2"|10.5% ({{down}} 1.30%)
|colspan="2"|{{dash}}({{down}})
|colspan="2"|10.46% ({{up}})
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Parameters
!  colspan="4" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|'''1990–1991'''
!  colspan="4" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|'''1998–1999'''
! Ref(s)
|-
| style="background:#FFFFCC;"| ''' Total liabilities/Revenue receipts'''
|colspan="4"|191.53
|colspan="4"|304.86
|<ref name="ippg"/>
|-
| style="background:#FFFFCC;"| '''Interest payments/revenue receipts'''
|colspan="4"|15.46
|colspan="4"|31.82
|<ref name="ippg"/>
|}

Poverty in West Bengal decreased heavily during the Left Front rule. The decreasing was the largest after Kerala.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Parameters
!  colspan="2" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|'''1983–1984'''
!  colspan="2" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|'''1993–1994'''
!  colspan="2" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|'''1999–2000'''
!  colspan="2" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|'''2004–2005'''
! Ref(s)
|-
| style="background:#FFFFCC;"| ''' Poverty ratio (in percentage)'''
|colspan="2"|32.32
|colspan="2"|22.41 ({{decreasepositive}} 9.91)
|colspan="2"|14.86 ({{decreasepositive}} 7.55)
|colspan="2"|11.20 ({{decreasepositive}} 3.66)
|<ref name="ippg"/>
|-
| style="background:#FFFFCC;"| ''' Poverty line (in Rs)'''
|colspan="2"| 105.91
|colspan="2"|247.53 ({{up}} 141.62)
|colspan="2"|409.22 ({{up}} 161.69)
|colspan="2"|449.32 ({{up}} 40.1)
|<ref name="ippg"/>
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Parameters
!colspan="2" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|'''1983'''
!colspan="2" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|'''1993'''
!colspan="2" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|'''2000'''
!colspan="2" style="background: #FAA0A0;"|'''2011'''
! Ref(s)
|-
| style="background:#FFFFCC;"| ''' Urban-Rural Per Capita Consumption Ratio in West Bengal'''
|colspan="2"|1.60
|colspan="2"|1.70
|colspan="2"|1.90
|colspan="2"|
|<ref name="auto2"/>
|}

==Infrastructure==
During the premitive Left Front tenures, the physical infrastructure downgraded.<ref name="uoc"/> West Bengal ranked 8th in 1970–71, 9th in 1980–81 and 17 in 1990–91 which was only ahead of one state Assam.<ref name="uoc"/><ref name="ippg"/>

===Power and electricity===
In the 90s, West Bengal was below the national average with respect to per capita consumption, housing, electrification, per capita consumption of electricity.<ref name="auto2"/>

==Education==
The literacy rate in West Bengal jumped from '''38% in 1977''' to '''68% in 2001''' and '''74% in 2011'''. 14 new universities, more than 200 new degree colleges and engineering colleges (while 5 new universities, 73 new degree colleges and 36 new engineering colleges were established under the 7th LF government) were established throughout LF successive governments. Net enrolment ratio in primary education reached 98.95% in 2009–10. Drop-out rate declined to 8.66% in 2009–10 which was below national average.<ref name="auto"/>

==Healthcare==
{{Further|Healthcare in West Bengal}}
During the successive LF Governments, parameters of healthcare differed and were average in results. After 1977, LF tried to initiate the Chinese barefoot doctor model in the state. But, the project met with resistance and had to be abandoned. Then they tried to build a three-tier health service system for the rural areas. The doctors would be placed in the primary, subsidiary and the sub-divisional or district hospitals and the state-run medical college hospitals would act as referral hospitals. Budgets were allocated and some sort of infrastructure was built up. But, the LF government failed to post doctors in the rural areas.<ref name="india-seminar.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.india-seminar.com/2001/497/497%20rajat%20ray.htm|title=497 Rajat Ray, Two decades of left rule}}</ref>  Overall, the healthcare saw a degradation, until 1987, when CPI(M) leader [[Prasanta Sur]] took office as health minister and reformed the ministry. Before that there had been several cases of death and mutilation of new born babies by dogs and cats.<ref name="hc"/> Basic services are not available in most rural hospitals for want of doctors. According to state government figures, of the 40,000 registered medical practitioners, 69% are located in urban areas though 73% of the population lives in rural areas.<ref name="india-seminar.com"/> Even the drug control administration was in shambles. Licence were issued to unscientific and banned drugs.<ref name="hc">{{cite journal |date= May 21, 1988 |title= Left Front's Health Circus |url= |format= |language= |journal= Economic and Political Weekly|volume=23 |issue=21 |pages=3 |doi= |via= |url-access= |access-date= |quote= |author=Sujit K. Das}}</ref> According to Jana Swap, the joint secretary of the Health Services Association, numerous drug companies dealt with the doctors' unions which are affiliated to the party and resulted uninterrupted trade of unscientific, irrational and even banned drug formulations in pharmaceutical markets.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/communists-ousted-in-indian-election-1.362533|title=Communists ousted in Indian election|date=May 14, 2011|website=The National}}</ref>

There were some notable achievements during LF term in healthcare:
* At the end of 2009, 73% of all patients in West Bengal undergo treatment from the public health system, compared to national average of 40%.<ref name="auto"/>
* The decline in infant mortality rate in West Bengal was the second fastest in the country.<ref name="auto"/>
* The 7th LF government created health insurance schemes, benefiting 25 lakh workers in the unorganized sector from 56 categories and professions.<ref name="auto"/>

==Other indexes==
* The [[Human Development Index]] was noted to have improved at a much faster rate than in other states, growing from being the lowest in the country in 1975 to above the national average in 1990.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Indrayan|first1=A.|last2=Wysocki|first2=M. J.|last3=Chawla|first3=A.|last4=Kumar|first4=R.|last5=Singh|first5=N.|date=1999|title=3-Decade Trend in Human Development Index in India and Its Major States|journal=Social Indicators Research|publisher=[[Springer Publishing]]|volume=46|issue=1|pages=91–120|doi=10.1023/A:1006875829698|s2cid=142881301|issn=0303-8300|jstor=}}</ref>
* The death rate in West Bengal stood at 6.2 in 2009, which was the lowest among all states in the country.<ref name="auto"/>
* Annual population growth rate in West Bengal reduced from 1.77% between 1991–2001 to 1.39% between 2001 and 2011, which was the fourth lowest in the country at that time. Child sex ratio in West Bengal at 950 in 2011 was the second highest in the country.<ref name="auto"/>
* Food subsidy was increased by Rs. 434 crore to provide cheap rice to the poor.<ref name="auto"/>
* LF Government started supplying rice at Rs. 2 per kg from March 2009 and provided rice to  2.65 crore poor in the state. Rice offtake from the ration shops increased  to 96% in 2011. Sugar, edible oil and pulses were also supplied through the PDS at prices 10% lower than market prices during the festival time.<ref name="auto"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Left-wing politics in India| ]]
[[Category:Political history of West Bengal]]