Durga Puja holidays for 11 days, Rs 60,000 grant to each puja committee: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee | Kolkata News

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (file photo)

KOLKATA: State government employees will enjoy 11 consecutive days of Puja holiday starting from September 30 (Panchami) to October 10 (day after Lakshmi Puja) this year, Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee made the announcement during an administrative meeting with the organizers of the puja festival at Netaji Indoor Stadium on Monday.
Last year, government employees enjoyed 16 days of public holidays in the month club puja including Saturdays and Sundays. This year, the number is set to increase by 22 days, including two holidays in September, weekends and holidays in Kalipuja, Diwali, Bhaifota and Chhatpuja.
The state government also announced a grant of Rs 60,000 to each Durga Puja committee in the state calling on them to do bigger and better pujas to celebrate Bengal’s inclusion on UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage List last year.
Last year it was Rs 50,000 per puja committee. Bengal has 40,092 registered Durga puja committees in the state which means the state will spend Rs 220,55,20,000 from the state.
“The state treasury is empty. But I hope Maa Durga will fill our coffers. Last year, we gave away Rs 50,000 to each puja host. This year we will increase it to Rs 60,000 per club,” said Banerjee to the cheers of puja committee representatives across the stadium.
The minister also announced that she will ask the Calcutta Power Supply Corporation and the West Bengal State Electricity Development Corporation to make a 60% concession to the puja committees. Last year, the discount offered was 50%.
“You pay no Fire Brigade, no puja taxes, no taxes incurred on advertising, puja applications can be made online. You tell me what else we can do. This year’s puja is special and I urge everyone to make it special and make sure everyone starting from the village artisans to the foreign delegates feel comfortable and at home. home for this year’s puja,” she said.
The Prime Minister also took to the stage to announce a large rally on September 1 to thank UNESCO for inscribing Kolkata’s Durga Puja on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List. The rally will start at 2pm from Jorasanko Thakurbari. Puja organizers were asked to attend the rally and made it a huge success.
This year Mahalaya is scheduled for September 25. The date for the Puja festival is scheduled for October 8 in Kolkata and October 7 in the rest of the state. “Those who do not participate in the Kolkata festival should drown the gods on October 7,” she said.