Calcutta HC: No Durga Puja Grants Without Utilisation Certificates

Quick Summary

• Calcutta High Court directive: The Calcutta High Court on August 27, 2025, ordered the West Bengal government to halt grants for community Durga Puja to clubs that failed to submit utilisation certificates for last year’s grant.
• Clubs in Compliance: Out of 44,671 Puja committees in West Bengal, only three under the Siliguri Police Commissionerate have not submitted their utilisation reports. In Kolkata alone, 2,876 committees complied on time.
• Condition for Grants: The court stated that only committees submitting cost estimate certificates within a stipulated timeframe as per earlier orders will receive grants.
• Increased Funding and Benefits:

– Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced an increase in grants for each Durga Puja committee from ₹85,000 last year to ₹1.10 lakh this year.- An additional benefit includes an 80% rebate on electricity bills for clubs organizing community Durga Pujas.
– These grants were first introduced in 2018 and have since increased elevenfold over seven years under Ms. Banerjee’s leadership.

• Opposition Criticism:

– Opposition parties like the Left have often criticized these measures as politically motivated efforts blending religion with governance and misusing public funds.

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