KOLKATA GETS ITS OWN BURJ KHALIFA
Recession? Says who… look at the festivity grandeur Some organisers put aside money for CSR activities
Despite the on-going pandemic and financial distress all over the world, several mega puja organizers managed to garner lakhs of rupees on their pandals to get live TRP of devotees.
Talking to Free Press Journal, Ashok Ojha, joint secretary, Md. Ali Park Durga Puja association said that this year their puja budget is around Rs 12 to 15 lakh and their theme is ‘Vaccination Wins Over Corona’.
“We have reduced the expenditure a lot so that we can utilize and earmark a portion to help the needy. Our puja theme is a heartfelt prayer to the Goddess for divine intervention to get over the virus and curb deaths,” said Ashok.
Bhawanipore 75 Pally’s theme is titled ‘Manobik’ (Humanity). They have brought chhau dancers from Purulia and have set up stalls for them to showcase their handmade traditional items. The club will also give them new clothes.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while inaugurating the pandal had also played a dhamsa ‘a local instrument’ to pep up the chhau dancers. “This year our puja expenditure has been pegged at Rs 25 lakhs and for CSR activity we have allotted another Rs 30 lakh. Not just the monetary support, we will keep the chhau dancers in Kolkata on our cost and apart from them we have planned to distribute
food and clothes to the needy across the state,” the organisers said.
Vikrant Singh, youth president of Young Boys’ Club said their theme is ‘Durga – The Slayer of Corona’. Singh said their budget is around Rs 30 lakh and for CSR Rs 40 lakh has been earmarked.
“Money for CSR is always kept aside to serve people. It has been a custom for us as everyone should enjoy the
festivities. Like last year, this year too we have kept the CSR fund more to serve the needy,” claimed Vikrant.
Though West Bengal Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee did a little ‘dillydally’ when he was asked about the budget but close aides of Mukherjee said that the Ekdalia Evergreen had cut short their budget in 2020 and 2021 to distribute goodies among the poor.