Durga Puja preparation: Bengal govt to give Rs 1.10 lakh grant to each committee; Mamata Banerjee holds meeting | India News

NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced that the state government will provide a grant of Rs 1.10 lakh to each registered Durga Puja committee this year, continuing its annual financial support for the festival.Addressing a coordination meeting with Durga Puja organisers in Kolkata, Banerjee urged the committees to extend support to migrant workers returning to Bengal from BJP-ruled states. “I request Durga Puja committees to help migrant workers, who are returning to Bengal after facing torture in BJP-ruled states,” she said.Mamata also underlined the critical role of various government departments during the festive season. “The police will oversee everything from traffic arrangements to law and order. They leave their families behind to serve the people. The fire department, health staff, and other such departments work day and night… Everyone should cooperate with them,” she said.Reiterating the importance of pre-Puja planning, she added, “We conduct this meeting every year to ensure proper coordination. Traffic arrangements, health facilities, drinking water, and other services should be well-coordinated… Durga Puja in West Bengal is celebrated with great gusto and enthusiasm. I want to thank everyone who organises these pujas in various parts of the state each year.”The state government’s annual meeting with puja organisers is aimed at streamlining preparations, ensuring smooth public services, and maintaining law and order during the festivities, which draw lakhs of people across Bengal.Durga Puja, a UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage event, is the most-awaited festival in West Bengal..