Ahead of Durga Puja, West Bengal’s chief minister Mamata Banerjee may increase the financial grant. This expectation is held by many puja committees in West Bengal. The crucial meeting with the Chief Minister and other festival organisers will be held on 31st July, at Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium to finalise the plans.
This is a very important meeting which holds significance for thousands of small and big puja committees across Kolkata and other other districts. As last year, the Government raised its grant from Rs 75,000 to Rs 85,000 per puja committee, many expect the Chief Minister will raise the grant till 1lakh.
The chief minister will preside over the meeting and is expected to see more than 5,000 puja committees, high-ranking police officers, Kolkata’s mayor, and officials from the fire department, the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, and other agencies.
Puja committee officials are eagerly waiting for the day, as the Chief Minister not only announces the financial aid but also other exemptions for the festival. Although the cheques for the financial grant are handed over to the committee officials through their local police stations.
With the Assembly elections knocking at the door, the move of increasing the financial grant to one lakh is seen by political circles as a strategic move that could positively influence the ballot.
