West Bengal's largesse to Durga Puja committees 57pc of Chandrayaan-3 budget

The organisers of community Durga Puja committees in West Bengal might be rejoicing over the announcement this week by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to enhance the annual dole from the state government by Rs 10,000 to Rs 70,000 for each of these committees.

This year, the chief minister also announced that these communities will be entitled for state government advertisements from the departments of commerce and industries, as well as tourism, at attractive rates besides the regular subsidy on electricity bills.

According to initial estimates calculated by the state Finance Department, the total outflow in this entire dole package will be to the tune of Rs 350 crore.

"Out of which Rs 280 crore will be straightaway for the dole payment at the rate of Rs 70,000 to 40,000 puja committees, out of which around 3,000 are in Kolkata and the remaining are in the districts. We have estimated another outflow of Rs 70 crore on account of government advertisements and electricity subsidy, which can be even more," said a Finance Department official.

Now questions are being raised about the justification of bearing such a huge expenditure of Rs 350 crore, which is around 57 per cent of the total cost of Chandrayaan-3 expedition at Rs 615 crore.

The chief minister, however, has her own logic to justify the whopping donation.