Rs 50,000 grant, 50% discount on power bill: Mamata’s gift to Bengal’s Durga Puja committees

On Thursday, the chief minister held a meeting with the state police, administration and puja committees to announce the guidelines for the Durga Puja during the pandemic. (File Photo)

Ahead of the last Durga Puja before the state assembly elections next year, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday opened her government’s treasury and announced a grant of Rs 50,000 for all the puja committees. According to state administration, with the government bearing a total cost of almost 200 crore, 37,000 pujo committees will be benefited by this announcement.

Banerjee also said that while fire licence to the committees will be issued without any fee, CESC and West Bengal Electric Suppply Corporation Limited will also give 50% discount on the power bill. Giving further relief to the committees, she added that the permission for the pujas will also be granted by the municipalities and gram panchayats without having to pay any fee.

Banerjee had earlier announced  Rs 1,000 monthly allowance for the Hindu priests to counter BJP’s Hindu politics before the assembly election. In a continuation to this announcement, Banerjee on Thursday said, “Not only for Hindu priests, we are ready to give 1 lakh 20 thousand rupees to every priests of every religion. They can also apply to us for this benefit.”

The state government will also provide a one-time grant of Rs 2,000 to almost 79,000 hawkers ahead of the Durga Puja. The chief minister also announced to increase the salary of the Asha workers and civic volunteers by Rs 1,000 per month from October 1.

On Thursday, the chief minister held a meeting with the state police, administration and puja committees to announce the guidelines for the Durga Puja during the pandemic.

She said that those who wish to visit the puja pandals will have to follow all the Covid-19 protocols of physical distancing, use of mask, personal hygiene, specified by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the state government.

Banerjee said that the committees should ensure that hand sanitisers are placed at entry points of the pandals and that everyone wears a mask. Notably, in order to maintain a proper ventilation, Banerjee said that the pandals should be open from all four sides.

“Durga Puja Carnival will not be organised this year. Eid Namaz was not organised on Red Road. We celebrated 15th August in a very small way too,” Banerjee said, adding that cultural programs inside the pandals will also not be allowed this year.

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