The West Bengal government’s decision to increase financial aid to Durga Puja committees has once again reached the Calcutta High Court. This year, the government announced a grant of Rs 1.10 lakh per puja committee — a nearly 30 per cent hike from last year’s Rs 85,000. With around 45,000 puja clubs across the state, the total expenditure will be approximately Rs 495 crore from the state exchequer.

Two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) challenging the move came up for hearing before a division bench of Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Smita Das De. The petitioners’ counsel argued that the Calcutta High Court had earlier stressed accountability, and that public money should not be diverted for religious purposes outside the scope of public service.

The state, however, submitted: “Every year, they come with the same issue. Only during the Durga Puja, they come for the public; the remaining year, they do not think about the public.”

The court has listed the matter for hearing next Monday.

One of the PILs was filed by Durgapur resident Sourav Dutta, who has previously raised similar objections. He had moved court on the same issue last year, but the petition was dismissed. In fact, challenges to the state’s Durga Puja donations have been filed almost every year. In 2022, the Calcutta High Court imposed conditions on the state government’s grant, including a requirement for puja committees to submit utilization certificates.

The practice of providing financial assistance to puja committees began in 2018, with a grant of Rs 10,000. In 2019, the amount was raised to Rs 25,000, and has steadily increased every year. In July 2023, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced a hike to Rs 85,000, which has now risen further to Rs 1.10 lakh.

Durga Puja this year will be celebrated in the last week of September, followed by the annual Durga Puja Carnival on October 5.