Mamata Banerjee opened the coffers to the Durga Puja organisers for this year announcing financial assistance of Rs. 1.10 lakh assistance for each club.

The cash-strapped Bengal government will be spending at least Rs. 400 crore on this year’s annual festival.

“I know you are all waiting to hear me. Joy Bangla? Of course Joy Bangla will be there… What do you want?” Mamata asked the organsiers assembled at the Netaji Indoor stadium on Thursday evening.

“80,000? 1lakh? Alright, Rs. 1.10 lakh,” the chief minister announced to thunderous applause from the organisers.

Last year, the state government had offered financial assistance of Rs. 85,000. In the election year, the grant saw a straight hike of Rs. 25,000 each.

That is not all.

Mamata’s Durga Puja gift for the 40,000-plus organisers across the state also includes free licenses including fire brigade.

“CESC will provide power at 80 per cent concession. Last year this was 75 per cent. I have already spoken with them,” said Mamata.

The chief minister had last year dropped strong hints at the state’s largesse extending to six-figure amount for this year.

“If we could raise the grant by Rs. 15,000 this year, next year we will increase it to Rs. 1lakh. I’m making this announcement in advance,” Mamata had said at the same venue.

Mamata had started the practice of providing financial assistance to the Durga Puja organisers from 2018 with only Rs. 10,000 and 25 per cent concession in power. Five years ago while the Covid pandemic was raging, the amount was raised to Rs. 50,000.

With the Assembly elections approaching Mamata has been on a religious overdrive that started with the inauguration of a Jagannath temple at the tourist spot Digha. She has also announced a “Durga Angan” to be constructed in the state, though the site and purpose of the facility is still unclear.

The leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari welcomed Mamata’s decision with a rider.

“She must also announce that the funds are not conditional,” Suvendu told The Telegraph Online.

Last year when the protests against the rape and murder of the post-graduate trainee were raging across the state, several puja organisers had turned down the government’s assistance which had upset the chief minister.

“There should be no condition that the CM’s photographs have to be displayed at the puja pandals, that the pandal has to be inaugurated during Pitr-Paksh (The fortnight before Durga Puja),” Suvendu said.

“Since there is no dearth of state funds, the chief minister should announce dearness allowance for all the government employees and pensioners. She should also double the salaries of all casual, contractual and part-time employees before Durga Puja.”

The leader of Opposition said if any Durga Puja committee refuses to meet the government’s conditions, if any, and the financial assistance he would help them.

“The chief minister also announced the immersion dates. That is decided by the almanac. Durga Puja is the biggest festival of the Hindu Bengalis and not a cultural programme. The chief minister does not have the rights to announce such dates,” he said.

The state BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP Samik Bhattacharya said giving financial grants to Durga Puja organisers was not the responsibility of the state government.

“She keeps saying there is no money to give DA to the government employees, government contractors are not getting paid, life-saving medicines are unavailable in state-run hospitals. Bengalis have held Durga Puja for centuries. They can do it even without government funds,” Bhattacharya said.