West Bengal Replaces 'Khela Hobey Divas' with 'Ayushman Divas' on August 16

The West Bengal government has announced that August 16 will be observed as 'Ayushman Divas' , replacing the 'Khela Hobey Divas' introduced by the previous Trinamool Congress (TMC) government. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the day will promote the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme and mark 100 days of the BJP government in the state.

Speaking after a BJP organisational meeting in Tamluk, Adhikari said the date carries historical significance as it marks the Great Calcutta Killings of 1946 , which followed the Direct Action Day called by the All India Muslim League under Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy , then premier of undivided Bengal. The communal violence claimed thousands of lives and is widely regarded as a key event that deepened communal divisions before the Partition of India .

The move replaces 'Khela Hobey Divas' , launched by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2021 after the TMC's Assembly election victory. While the initiative promoted sports through football matches and the distribution of sports equipment, the BJP frequently criticised the slogan, arguing that it became associated with the state's politically charged atmosphere. The renaming reflects the BJP government's effort to recast August 16 around healthcare and historical remembrance rather than a political slogan, a move likely to remain politically contentious.

Adhikari said citizens aged 70 years and above would automatically receive benefits under Ayushman Bharat , while around 70 per cent of eligible beneficiaries would be covered under the central scheme. The remaining 30 per cent would be included under the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme .

On the Annapurna Yojana , which replaced the TMC's Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, Adhikari said financial assistance had been transferred to over 1.2 crore women , with beneficiary verification continuing until August 30 .