Government of Bengal grants ₹1,10,000 to each Durga Puja pandal during Navratri celebrations

Total expenditure will amount to ₹500 crore

Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of Bengal

Kolkata (Bengal) – Just as Ganeshotsav is celebrated in Maharashtra, similarly, Navratri is celebrated in Bengal. The Bengal Government provides annual grants for setting up pandals during the Navratri festival. This year, the Trinamool Congress has increased the amount. This time, the Government is giving ₹1.10 lakh to each pandal. Last year, ₹85,000 was given. The Government is expected to spend approximately ₹500 crore for this purpose.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee started giving grants to pandals in 2018. At that time, 28,000 pandals were given ₹10,000 each. Now, the number of pandals in the state has increased to over 45,000 — an 11-fold increase.

According to Government data, business worth more than ₹80,000 crore took place during these 10 days last year. This year, it is expected to reach ₹1 lakh crore, as the cost of all items and the number of pandals have increased.

💸 Mamata’s ₹500 Cr Durga ‘Grant Politics’

Bengal govt to give ₹1.10 lakh each to 45,000 pandals this Navratri – total spend ₹500 Cr!

BJP slams it as political mileage.

Truth: appeasement optics can’t hide Mamata’s anti-Hindu governance. Hindus must not fall for this lure.… pic.twitter.com/9CkmcE8Guw

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) August 17, 2025

Government trying to gain political mileage — BJP alleges

BJP spokesperson Sajal Ghosh said, “We do not accept grants from the Trinamool Government because the Government has turned it into a platform for their self-promotion. The state assembly elections are due next year, which is why Mamata Banerjee’s Government is offering ₹25,000 more in grants.”

Speaker of the Assembly and Trinamool Congress leader Biman Banerjee said, “The Government does not discriminate politically. There are 4–5 major BJP-supported pandals in Kolkata and the Government provides grants to them as well.”

Editorial Perspective

It is evident that Mamata Banerjee is trying to appease Hindus by offering such grants; however, Hindus should not fall for this bait, as her overall governance has been anti-Hindu and detrimental to Hindu interests !