For Durga Puja Celebrations, Mamata Banerjee’s Big Announcement

Kolkata:

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee right this moment introduced that her authorities shall improve the grant to Durga Puja organising committees within the state from Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000. The concession on electrical energy prices incurred by puja committees shall even be raised to 60 per cent from the present 50 per cent.

The Bengal Chief Minister additionally stated {that a} mega rally can be organised in Kolkata on September 1 to thank UNESCO for the inclusion of Kolkata’s Durga Puja on the Listing of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Kolkata’s Durga Puja is the primary competition in Asia to have obtained this recognition from UNESCO.

Ms Banerjee additionally declared that each one state authorities places of work will stay closed from September 30 to October 10 to mark the annual autumnal competition.

She made these bulletins throughout a gathering with Durga Puja organising committee members on the metropolis’s Netaji Indoor Stadium right this moment. The state authorities needs to advertise Durga Puja as a world competition and Ms Banerjee has requested all puja organisers to make sure that international vacationers don’t face any downside throughout their go to to town.

In line with Ms Banerjee, the mega rally will begin at 2 pm on September 1, from Jorasanko Thakurbari (the birthplace of Rabindranath Tagore) in North Kolkata and can cross down Rani Rasmani Avenue and attain Dharmatala in Central Kolkata.

The Chief Minister requested all puja organisers to take part within the mega procession. She additionally requested that college students of grades 11 and 12 ought to be allowed to take part in it. The procession will cowl roughly 5 kilometres. Ms Banerjee stated representatives from UNESCO will attend the procession as visitors.

“This 12 months’s puja goes to be particular. We should plan very properly this time. Lot of individuals from overseas are going to go to,” Ms Banerjee stated.

Whereas Durga Puja begins on September 30 this 12 months, the Bengal Chief Minister stated celebrations will start early, on September 1, with the mega procession. “We may have a rally — not a political rally, however a rally to welcome the Goddess. It will likely be like a carnival. We’ll thank the UNESCO with the rally on September 1, within the presence of Consul-Generals, outstanding industrialists and different distinguished individuals,” Ms Banerjee added.

Celebrations can be held not simply within the state capital of Kolkata, but in addition within the districts across the identical time because the mega procession.

Taking a dig on the central authorities, Ms Banerjee stated: “The centre has stopped funds even for the 100-day Programme. Our coffers are empty, however we’re nonetheless rising the monetary help [to puja committees] from ₹50,000 to ₹60,000. I pray, Maa Durga will fill our coffers. We’re additionally rising the concession on electrical energy payments for puja committees to 60 per cent from the present 50 per cent.”

Focusing on the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP), she stated: “Individuals say, ‘they do not permit Durga Puja in Kolkata.’ They do not see that nowhere on the planet is Durga Puja celebrated like the way in which it’s in Kolkata.”

There are round 43,000 registered Durga Puja committees in West Bengal, aside from the smaller pujas and people carried out in properties. There are 2,141 Durga Pujas organised by ladies in Bengal.