Kolkata: In a major setback for West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, the Calcutta high court on Tuesday further stayed disbursement of Rs 28 crore to puja committees as donation till October 11. However, the HC will continue to hear the matter on Wednesday.
On September 10, Banerjee, while addressing the coordination meeting with puja committees and police, had announced a package of Rs 28 crore across the state. She had also announced a complete waiver of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) tax and fees required to fire licences for puja pandals.
Banerjee had announced the package (Rs 10,000 each) for 3,000 puja committees in Kolkata and an additional 25,000 committees in other parts of Bengal.
On September 19, the chief minister’s decision to disburse money was challenged in the Calcutta high court. The division bench of the court asked the government the grounds on which it was using the exchequer money for Durga Puja celebrations and if there were any guidelines for the same.
So far, Banerjee has distributed Rs 600 crore to various clubs since coming to power in 2011, despite her concern about acute financial crisis in the state’s treasury. She also blamed the Centre for not waiving off the state’s debts.
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