Cash-strapped WB govt to dole out money to Puja committees

The cash-strapped Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, which has been complaining about its finances since it came to power in 2011, is all set to dole out money to various Puja organisers under its newly constituted Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman.
"We have selected 20 pujas in Kolkata, who will be given Rs 50,000 per puja as they have been selected for the prestigious Biswa Bangla Sharad Samman. 16 other Puja committees have been selected for Biswa Bangla Special category, who will be given Rs 10,000 each," said Atri Bhattacharjee, secretary, Information and Cultural Department, West Bengal.
Bhattacharjee said 10 puja committees have been selected in each of the state's 18 other districts, who will be given Rs 50,000 each.

"We will also consider the Pujas in Delhi, Mumbai, London and in Bangladesh for the award," he said.
The awards are being given at a time when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have been repeatedly complaining about cash crunch faced by the state.