Not inclined to interfere in Bengal govt’s decision to extend grant to Durga puja committees: Cal HC
The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday said that it is not inclined to interfere in the West Bengal government’s decision to extend a grant of Rs 60,000 each to over 40,000 Durga puja committees in the state.
Petitioners in PILs challenging the grant claimed that distribution of the amount has nothing to do with public welfare and that Durga Puja is a private affair.
“We are not inclined to interfere in the decision of the State to extend the grant to Puja committees,” a division bench comprising Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice R Bharadwaj said in its judgment.
The bench said that it is, however, of the opinion that the grant should be strictly utilised for the purpose mentioned in a West Bengal government order of September 6.
The court noted that the September 6 order extended grant of Rs 60,000 to 40,028 clubs or puja committees or other similar organisations for 2022.
The state has claimed that the grant is being given to puja organisers for development of tourism and showcasing the cultural heritage of the state among other objectives.
The bench directed that guidelines already issued in previous orders of this court be complied with.
It said that grant will be released only to those puja committees which, in the previous year, had utilised the same for the purpose stated, and had submitted a certificate within time.
The bench directed that the West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police, through which the grant is to be distributed, will have to ensure that the funds are utilised properly.
It also said that puja committees will have to submit utilisation certificates by November 15, following which the government will then compile a report and present it before the court by December 15.
The petitioners claimed that instead of making payment to Amphan victims or implementing Swasthya Sathi Scheme, which have higher priority, the money is being wrongly distributed for religious purposes.
Opposing the prayer, Advocate General S N Mookherjee submitted that the court had earlier too refused to interfere in the state government’s decision to provide grants to puja committees He argued that the expression “public purpose” is of wide amplitude and budgetary provision has already been made for allocating the amount.
