Kolkata, 25 August (H.S.): The Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the West Bengal government to clarify its position on Durga Puja committees that failed to submit utilisation (expenditure) certificates despite earlier court orders.

A division bench of Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Smita Das De questioned whether such committees were still being granted fresh financial aid or honorarium this year. The bench specifically asked: “How many committees have not submitted utilisation certificates? Are they still being given grants despite this?”

State Advocate General Kishore Dutta informed the court that in March 2023, the government had reported disbursing grants to around 500 committees, of which 36 had not filed utilisation certificates. He assured that the state would submit a detailed reply in the next hearing, scheduled for Wednesday.

The matter is linked to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by social activist Sourav Dutta. Appearing on his behalf, senior advocates Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya and Shamim Ahmed argued that taxpayers’ money was being misused, alleging that funds meant for developmental purposes were being diverted to puja committees.

Defending the grants, the state government maintained that the financial aid was “welfare-oriented”, claiming it was used to support public initiatives such as the ‘Safe Drive, Save Life’ campaign and Covid-19 restrictions.

The controversy comes at a time when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that around 40,000 puja committees across Bengal will receive ₹1.1 lakh each in 2025, marking the largest-ever allocation with a budgetary provision of over ₹450 crore.

Last year, committees were granted ₹85,000, and Mamata had earlier promised to raise it to ₹1 lakh in 2025. This year, she exceeded that pledge by adding an additional ₹10,000 per committee.

At a meeting with organisers at Netaji Indoor Stadium, the Chief Minister also declared an 80% waiver on electricity bills for puja committees, to be implemented by CESC and the State Electricity Distribution Board.

The scheme, which began in 2018 with grants of ₹10,000 and a 25% electricity bill waiver, has seen annual hikes: ₹25,000 in 2019, ₹50,000 during the Covid years, ₹60,000 in 2022, ₹70,000 in 2023, ₹85,000 in 2024, and now ₹1.1 lakh in 2025—the highest to date.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh