The West Bengal government on Monday announced a series of measures aimed at promoting the state's religious and cultural traditions, including financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each to 60 heritage Rath Yatra committees ahead of the annual Rath Yatra celebrations.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari made the announcement during a meeting at Nabanna with district magistrates, senior officials and representatives of Rath Yatra committees, who joined virtually.
Announcing the initiative, the Chief Minister said the government wanted to become an active participant in preserving Bengal's traditional festivals.
"We will provide ₹5 lakh each to 60 committees that have been organising Rath Yatra celebrations for decades. This is our participation in preserving our tradition," Adhikari said.
He acknowledged that the list of selected committees may not be flawless in its first year and appealed for understanding.
"If there are any shortcomings in the first year's list, I request everyone to view them generously. We will prepare a flawless list in the future. What we are planting today will grow into a tradition," he added.
The Chief Minister urged committees to utilise the financial assistance for the restoration and maintenance of old Rath chariots, particularly those built from wood.
Government to Participate in Rath Yatra Celebrations
Taking a swipe at the previous Trinamool Congress government, Adhikari said earlier administrations limited their involvement to deploying traffic personnel during Rath Yatra.
"Earlier, the government's responsibility ended with sending a few traffic police personnel. Our government believes in the Prime Minister's vision of balancing development with heritage, and we have decided to participate actively in this year's Rath Yatra," he said.
The state government also announced that service centres will be established at 75 heritage Rath Yatra fairs across Bengal. These centres will provide basic facilities for devotees under the supervision of the Information and Cultural Affairs Department, with support from municipal bodies, district administrations, police and local Rath Yatra committees.
Special Arrangements for Shravan Pilgrims
The Chief Minister also unveiled a comprehensive plan for pilgrims undertaking the annual Shravan Yatra.
He said the government would establish service camps every five kilometres along the Sheoraphuli–Tarakeswar route. Facilities will include police assistance, temporary health camps, drinking water, ORS, and rest areas for devotees.
Three major pilgrimage centres have been selected for special arrangements—Tarakeswar, Jalpesh Temple in Jalpaiguri, and a temple in the Jayanti region near the Bhutan border.
One of the key announcements was that flower petals will be showered from helicopters on devotees every Monday during the month of Shravan, subject to favourable weather conditions.
"We have seen governments in other states supporting these religious traditions. Bengal remained deprived for years. Our government will extend full support to the pilgrims," Adhikari said.
The Chief Minister also confirmed that he will be present at Tarakeswar on July 14 to inaugurate the Shravani Mela.
₹1,000 Crore for Religious Heritage
Highlighting the government's broader cultural agenda, Adhikari said the state budget has introduced a dedicated Pilgrimage Circuit to restore and preserve historic religious sites across Bengal.
"We have allocated ₹1,000 crore for the maintenance, conservation and heritage development of ancient temples, maths and other religious sites, including Kiriteswari," he said.
The Chief Minister further announced that hospitals run by Bharat Sevashram Sangha have been brought under the Ayushman Bharat health scheme, while a ₹5 crore corpus fund has been sanctioned for the preservation of Swami Vivekananda's ancestral house on Simla Street.
