CM hikes Puja club donations to Rs 85K

MP, 24 July 2024, Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday hiked the donation amount for clubs organising Durga Puja to Rs 85,000 from last year’s Rs 70,000 besides announcing a 75 per cent rebate on electricity bills which was 66 per cent last year. 

During the Durga Puja coordination meeting with the organisers at the Netaji Indoor Stadium, Banerjee also said that the earlier decision of exempting the fees for fire license and other permissions will continue. 

However, while addressing the Puja committees, she hinted that next year the donation will reach Rs 1 lakh for each of the Puja committees. 

According to Banerjee, this year, there will be more than 43,000 Durga Pujas held across the state, including about 40,000 in the districts and 2,793 within the jurisdiction of Kolkata Police. 

The number of Pujas organised by women is 2479. Banerjee asked the Puja organisers to make separate gates for entry and exit. She emphasised women safety along with necessary assistance for the senior citizens and specially abled people. 

Banerjee said that she is against the “VIP culture” where people wait in the long queue and special arrangements are made for VIP persons. To avoid stampede situations, she requested the Puja organisers to share the theme details with the police so adequate arrangements could be made as per the volume of the crowd. 

“I have read in the news that somewhere there will be a 112 feet Durga idol. Can you imagine? A stampede situation may occur,” she remarked.

For traffic situations during the Puja days, she directed both the Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police to maintain coordination. Also, she asked the police to arrange mobile patrolling, Quick Response Team (QRT), drone, CCTV and watch tower. 

The Chief Minister reminded that the roads must not be obstructed which may hamper the vehicular movement. 

She further advised the Puja organisers to engage women and students as volunteers during the time of the festival to welcome the visitors. She advocated for keeping health camps, ambulances and doctors on standby. 

Also, necessary arrangements must be there in the local hospital as precautionary measures. Banerjee also requested the Puja committees to keep hoardings and banners related to public welfare and public health. 

 https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/cm-hikes-puja-club-donations-to-rs-85k-572957