Several prominent Durga Puja committees in Kolkata and its adjoining areas have decided not to accept the Rs 1 lakh government grant announced for this year’s celebrations.
Several major committees reject government assistance
The decision comes hours after Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari appealed to financially capable Puja committees to voluntarily refuse government assistance, saying the grant should primarily benefit smaller committees that may struggle to organise Durga Puja without financial support.
Committees respond to Chief Minister’s appeal
Among the committees that have announced their decision to forgo the grant are Rajdanga Naba Uday Sangha, Santoshpur Lake Pally, Tala Pratyay, and Chorbagan Sarbojanin. Other prominent Puja committees including Salt Lake EC Block Residents Association and Newtown Sanatani Durga Puja are also among those being discussed in connection with the decision.
The Chief Minister, speaking after a preparatory meeting with Puja organisers at Milan Mela Prangan, said the government would provide Rs 1 lakh to committees that genuinely need financial assistance.
CM urges larger committees to decline assistance
Subhendu Adhikary, during the Durga Puja co-ordination meeting, said,
I had earlier said that committees with small budgets would be given the grant. I do not want to misuse the powers of the Chief Minister. I would request those who are capable of organising large-budget Pujas not to accept financial assistance from the government.
The decision by several committees to decline the grant came shortly after the announcement, with the move being seen as a response to the Chief Minister’s appeal.
Government funding has expanded over years
The government grant for Durga Puja has been a political and administrative issue in West Bengal since the Trinamool Congress government introduced financial assistance for Puja committees. The grant amount has increased over the years.
Referring to the previous government’s policy, the Chief Minister said the earlier practice of increasing the grant was not appropriate and claimed that the amount had risen from Rs 25,000 initially to Rs 1.10 lakh in previous years.
Chief Minister questions earlier grant policy
He also said that despite the increased financial assistance, the policy had not translated into electoral gains and that many committees had become dependent on government funding.
The decision of major Puja committees to decline the Rs 1 lakh grant is now likely to add another dimension to the debate over government funding for Durga Puja in Bengal.
