Mamata Banerjee hikes donation for Durga puja clubs by Rs 10k

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday hiked the donation amount for each club organising Durga Puja to Rs 60,000 from last year's Rs 50,000, besides announcing a 60 per cent rebate on electricity bills.

She also said that state government employees would be entitled to a 11-day leave on the occasion of Durga puja—the biggest festival in Bengal – from September 30.

Banerjee said her government would take out a rally on September 1 to thank UNESCO for according the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) tag to the festival.

"The Centre is not releasing funds for the state. Despite that, we will increase donations for the clubs from last year's Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000. We will also provide them a rebate of 60 per cent on the electricity bill," Banerjee said.

She stressed that the September 1 rally would have no political agenda, and anybody and everybody was free to join it.

"I will invite 10,000 students from senior schools to be part of this rally," she said at an administrative meeting held at Netaji Indoor Stadium here.

The CM also said that the annual Durga Puja carnival at Red Road here would be held on October 8, three days after 'Dashami'.

Similar carnivals would also be arranged in the districts, she added.