Mamata raises Durga Puja grant to Rs 1.10 lakh, BJP alleges move to woo clubs ahead of polls
Last year, the state government provided ₹85,000 as a grant to Puja committees. At the time, the Chief Minister had declared that this year a grant of ₹1 lakh would be given to each committee. However, she eventually announced an additional ₹10,000, which the opposition BJP has alleged is an attempt at 'buying favour' from thousands of local clubs ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal.
Addressing a coordination meeting of Puja committees at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, Banerjee said, 'Durga Puja is not just a religious celebration. It is the lifeline of Bengal's cultural identity. Our praner utsab (festival of the heart). We are proud that UNESCO has recognised it as 'intangible heritage'.'
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