Kolkata, Sep 10 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced a grant of Rs 10,000 and waiver of licence fee for each of the 28,000 Durga Puja committees across the state.
"All 3,000 Durga Puja committees in Kolkata and 25,000 elsewhere in the state will get Rs 10,000 each. In Kolkata, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, the Fire Services and the Kolkata Police will ensure all community puja organisers get the grant under the community development programme. The Kolkata Police will hand over the money to the organisers.
"In the districts, tourism and consumer affairs departments, self-help groups and West Bengal Police will oversee distribution of the money to all big and small puja committees," Banerjee said on the sidelines of a meeting ahead of Bengal's biggest festival slated for October 15-19.
She said that the endeavour will cost the exchequer Rs 28 crore.
The Chief Minister said that she had also directed (power utility) Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC) to increase the discount offered to community puja organsiers from 20 to 23 per cent.
"I will also ask the Kolkata MC, Urban Development and Fire Departments not to levy any licence fee."
Banerjee announced that the Durga Puja carnival will be organised on the arterial Indira Gandhi Sarani (erstwhile Red Road) on October 23.
