WB govt to give Rs 25,000 to every community Durga Puja :

Facing flak from BJP for her alleged Muslim appeasement, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said the government will give Rs 25,000 to every community Durga puja committee in the state.

The sum is up from Rs 10000 that was given by the state government to each community Durga Puja in 2018.

The government will provide additional financial assistance of Rs 5,000 - that is Rs 30000 to each Durga Puja organised by women, she said.

The government will continue to offer financial assistance to community Durga Puja organisers in the coming years because the festival embodies communal harmony, Banerjee said.

"This is our small gesture to promote our heritage and a national festival," she said addressing a meeting of Durga Puja organisers here.

"Last year we had announced Rs 10,000 as help for every puja committee in the state to promote the festival. We are raising it to Rs 25000 in view of the hardship faced by small puja committees this year due to the ...