Mamata to meet Durga Puja organisers on July 31, launch ‘bhasha andolan' march tomorrow

Indian Express

6 days ago

Ahead of Durga Puja, puja committees in West Bengal are expecting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to increase the financial grant for them, with a crucial meeting of festival organisers with the chief minister scheduled for July 31 at Kolkata's Netaji Indoor Stadium to finalise the plans.
The meeting holds immense significance for thousands of big and small Durga Puja committees in Kolkata and other districts. Last year, the Government raised its grant from Rs 75,000 to Rs 85,000 per puja committee. Many feel the chief minister will increase the grant further to Rs 1 lakh in an announcement at the July 31 meeting.
The chief minister will preside over the meeting, which is expected to see representatives from approximately 5,000 puja committees, high-ranking police officers, Kolkata's mayor, and officials from the fire department, the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation, and other agencies.
Puja committee officials are eagerly awaiting the day, as the chief minister traditionally announces not only financial aid but also various exemptions for the festival. Checks of the government grant are typically disbursed to committees via local police stations.
Political analysts are keenly observing this year's meeting, given its timing ahead of the Assembly elections next year. The Trinamool Congress has seen positive electoral outcomes linked to the puja grants. With the Lok Sabha elections having concluded last year, during which the grant was increased, the potential increase in the grant to 1 lakh just before the Assembly elections is seen by political circles as a strategic move that could positively influence the ballot.
Furthermore, the chief minister is said to be leveraging this platform to promote communal harmony.
Beyond the financial aspects, the meeting will also provide essential guidelines for various festival preparations, including maintaining cleanliness and ensuring drinking water supply during the puja days. While some puja committees had previously returned the grant in protest over issues like the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, the vast majority have consistently accepted the government's financial assistance.
CM Mamata embarks on district tours, starting with Birbhum
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee started a district tour on Sunday, starting with Birbhum. Trinamool Congress sources said the chief minister would arrive in Birbhum on Sunday afternoon. Her itinerary includes an overnight stay at Rangabitan.
On July 28, she will hold an administrative meeting at Gitanjali Theatre to review the district's development projects. She is also scheduled to lead a large march to protest against the targeting of Bengali speakers in other states–a 'bhasha andolan' (language agitation) march that she announced on July 21. The march will start from the Tourist Lodge intersection and conclude at the Jambuni bus stand, followed by a speech by the chief minister.
On July 29, the chief minister will hold an administrative meeting in Illambazar. She is also expected to inaugurate a bridge built over the Ajay river to improve connectivity between Birbhum and West Burdwan.
Additionally, appointment letters for Group D and junior constable posts will be distributed among landowners in the proposed Deuchapachamy coal industry area, and farmers will receive farming equipment.
Ahead of the chief minister's visit, district Trinamool Congress chairperson Ashish Banerjee called an emergency core committee meeting at the party's Bolpur office on Thursday.