Bengal to woo wedding parties from dry Bihar

KOLKATA: The West Bengal government is in the process of setting up wedding venues in townships close to the Bihar border so that families from the dry state can shift functions and raise toasts.

“Many families in Bihar are shifting their wedding functions to places such as Benaras in UP and Koderma or Ranchi in Jharkhand,” Bengal tourism minister Gautam Deb said, noting that some even moved their functions to Kolkata at a high cost.

“If we can offer venues closer to east Bihar, families from that region can shift at lower expenses and the state can earn some revenues.”

The government has chosen six townships — Dalkhola, Karandighi and Raigunj (North Dinajpur district), Ranigunj, Asansol and Durgapur (West Burdwan district).

“These wedding venues will be owned and managed by the tourism department. They would attract wedding parties from Bihar through private tourism agencies against a commission,” an official said.

Apart from bar licences, the venues will have wedding halls, guest rooms, and lawns. “The cost will be worked out shortly depending on what kind of facilities most marriage parties would like to have,” said a tourism department official. The USP of the move is alcohol, taxes of which contributed to 19% of Bengal’s revenue in 2017-18.

Bengal profited from the prohibition in Bihar since April 2016. In 2017-18, Bengal’s excise revenue rose to ~8,700 crore in the revised estimate, a 50% jump over the budget estimate of ~5,710 crore.

In 2018-19, Bengal finance minister projected an 82% rise in excise collections compared to the previous year.

Patna-based event manager Atul Kashyap said that it is quite natural that those who have money to spend on family occasions will prefer a destination without prohibition.

“The case is not only for wedding ceremonies but also for corporate events and birthday parties,” he said.

Manotosh Deb, Trinamool Congress MLA from Karandighi, said a project like this will provide employment to local people. “Not just wedding venues, allied services such as decorators, flower suppliers and caterers will get a boost,” the legislator said.

GOVT IS IN PROCESS OF SETTING UP MEGA WEDDING VENUES IN TOWNSHIPS CLOSE TO THE BIHAR BORDER