CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata on Monday. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that the state government will increase grants for the Durga Puja committees and provide them discount on electricity bills for organising the celebrations this time.
After holding a meeting with the organisers of the Durga Puja functions in Kolkata’s Netaji Indoor Stadium, the CM announced a grant of Rs 60,000 each for 43,000 committees across the state against the last year’s Rs 50,000 each.
She asked the state electricity board to give 60 per cent discount on power bills to the Puja committees.
Banerjee declared that all state government offices will remain closed from September 30 to October 10 to mark the annual festival.
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“Nearly 43,000 puja committees are registered in the state. Then people perform Puja at home and clubs. This year’s puja is going to be special. We must plan well. People from abroad are going to visit Bengal in large numbers this time,” she said.
The state government will organise a huge procession on September 1 to thank UNESCO for including Bengal’s Durga Puja in the list of current cultural heritage, she added. “This time, the Puja celebrations will start from September 1. People will come from all over the country to see how it is performed. But the procession will not be political,” she said.
Schools have been told to close earlier, it is learnt.
The CM has given the responsibility of overseeing the celebrations to Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim, minister Arup Biswas and MLA Atin Ghosh.
The chief minister said that the idol will be immersed from October 5 to 8 and the Puja carnival will be held in Kolkata on October 8.
Lakshmi Puja and Nabi Day will be observed on October 9.