GUWAHATI: To support the grand celebrations of Durga Puja, the Assam government is likely to provide ₹10,000 to each Durga Puja committee in Guwahati. This financial aid will be distributed through the city’s ward councillors, with preparations already underway.
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Talking to GPlus, a member of the Latasil Durga Puja Committee said, “The Assam government will be providing ₹10,000 for each Durga Puja pandal, and ward councillors will be handling the distribution of the funds.”
Anjana Bora, Ghoramara Ward Councillor, also confirmed this development talking to GPlus, “We are expecting ₹10,000 for each Durga Puja committee in Guwahati.”
Another councillor mentioned that they have already registered the list of Puja committees within their ward and are awaiting the funds. “The registration process is complete, and we are likely to receive ₹10,000 per committee soon.”
The announcement was initially made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on October 1 via a video message shared on X (formerly Twitter) on September 30. In his message, the CM stated, “The state government has decided to provide financial assistance to all Durga Puja committees. We also plan to extend similar help for the Bhaona festival in the future. The government is committed to ensuring that people can celebrate all festivals joyfully.”
The chief minister further added that, just as Bihu committees receive financial support, Durga Puja committees will benefit from the scheme this year. He urged committees that have not yet applied for the aid to reach out to the District Commissioner’s office for assistance.
Kamrup Metro District Commissioner Sumit Sattawan and DCP Traffic Jayanta Sarathi Bora revealed during a press conference on Thursday that there will be around 450 Durga Puja pandals in Guwahati this year.
Earlier in 2023, the Assam government provided ₹10,000 each to around 6,000 Durga Puja committees across the state. The aid was given to those committees that had been organizing the festival for three or more years, with a request to refrain from collecting forcible donations.
However, the exact amount of financial assistance for this year and the eligibility criteria for receiving it have not been officially confirmed yet