Kolkata, Sep 7 (PTI) The West Bengal government on Monday announced a Rs 1 lakh grant for Durga Puja committees this year, Rs 10,000 less than last year’s assistance, while Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari urged large-budget pujas to voluntarily forgo the aid.
The government also announced a 100 per cent waiver of electricity charges for puja committees across the state and said they would not have to pay fees for obtaining fire safety clearances.
Announcing the decisions after a meeting with representatives of Durga Puja committees at Milan Mela ground here, Adhikari said the government would provide the grant to committees that need financial assistance.
“I do not want to misuse the powers of the chief minister. I would request those who are capable (of organising pujas without government assistance) not to take the financial aid. Those who cannot organise the puja without this money will be given Rs 1 lakh by the government,” he said.
The chief minister also left it to the committees to decide whether they wanted to accept the grant.
“Those who need the grant can apply locally, while those who do not need it can choose not to take it. I leave the matter to the puja committees,” he said.
The decision marks a reduction from the Rs 1.10 lakh grant provided to puja committees last year under the previous TMC government.
Adhikari took a swipe at former chief minister Mamata Banerjee while referring to the gradual increase in the government grant, which was initially fixed at Rs 25,000.
“What the former chief minister was doing was not right. It started at Rs 25,000 and reached Rs 1.10 lakh. It did not help in elections. Many have become dependent on it,” he said.
The BJP government came to power in the state earlier this year, making this the first Durga Puja season under the new dispensation.
The chief minister also announced a series of restrictions and arrangements for the festival.
No Durga Puja inauguration will be allowed before Mahalaya, marking the beginning of the Devi Paksha, he said, signalling a return to the traditional festival calendar after years of early inaugurations.
A government-organised Durga Puja programme will be held at Eden Gardens on Mahalaya, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to attend. The four-hour event will include drone and fireworks displays, Adhikari said.
The government will not organise the Durga Puja carnival this year, a prominent feature of the previous administration.
“The carnival that was imposed (on people) will not take place,” Adhikari said.
The government, however, will continue with the ‘Sharad Samman’ awards for puja committees. Awards will be given in categories including best idol, best pandal, eco-friendly puja, crowd management and craftsmanship, with an independent panel of judges selecting the winners, he said.
The chief minister also announced a complete ban on DJs during Durga Puja celebrations.
Referring to the restrictions imposed during Muharram processions, he said, “This time, I am announcing a ban on DJs during the puja. I expect everyone’s cooperation.” All liquor shops and bars in the state will remain closed on Ashtami, he said.
The government has also fixed October 24 as the deadline for immersion of Durga idols, as Kojagari Lakshmi Puja falls on October 25.
Adhikari said the immersion schedule would have to be followed in accordance with the traditional calendar and that no committee would be allowed to delay immersion beyond the cut-off date.
Cranes will not be permitted at immersion ghats, and puja processions will not be allowed to block national highways, he said.
The chief minister also urged organisers to ensure that idols and pandals do not hurt the state’s cultural and religious traditions.
He said arrangements would be made for elderly people, residents of old-age homes and persons with disabilities to visit puja pandals, while ensuring that regular traffic and public movement are not disrupted.
The government will also organise programmes in Digha and six other cities following Mahalaya as part of the Durga Puja celebrations.
Adhikari said the government had held discussions with the state electricity authorities and CESC to ensure that puja committees across the state, including those in Kolkata, would receive electricity free of charge during the festival.
The announcements come amid considerable anticipation over the fate of the puja grant after the change of government in the state, with the new BJP administration having earlier indicated that large-budget pujas might not require state assistance.
With the grant now fixed at Rs 1 lakh, the government has effectively reduced direct financial assistance while simultaneously offering relief through the waiver of electricity and fire clearance charges. PTI PNT MNB
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