West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL: The state government has announced financial assistance of ₹5 lakh each for 60 Rath Yatra committees across the state as part of its initiative to support traditional religious festivals. Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari made the announcement on Monday, stating that the government would actively participate in Rath Yatra celebrations and contribute towards preserving cultural traditions.

The announcement comes ahead of the Rath Yatra festival scheduled to be celebrated on Thursday. According to the Chief Minister, 60 Rath Yatra committees that have been organising the festival for decades will receive government assistance of ₹5 lakh each.

The Chief Minister described the initiative as a step towards encouraging public participation and protecting the heritage associated with traditional festivals. He said that the government's support represents its involvement in preserving cultural practices that have continued for generations.

He also mentioned that since this is the first year of implementing the initiative, there could be some errors while preparing the list of selected committees. However, he assured that the government would work towards creating a more accurate and complete list in the future.

Calling the initiative the beginning of a larger effort, the Chief Minister said that the support system introduced this year would gradually develop into a long-term tradition. He requested the Rath Yatra committees to utilise the financial assistance mainly for the maintenance and renovation of old Raths, particularly traditional wooden chariots that require restoration due to their historical importance.

The Chief Minister also criticised the previous government's approach towards Rath Yatra celebrations, claiming that earlier administrations limited their involvement to sending a few traffic police personnel for crowd management. He said that the present government wants to actively participate in such cultural events by following the principle of combining development with heritage conservation.

As part of the new arrangements, the government has decided to establish service centres at 75 traditional Rath Yatra fairs across the state. These centres will function under the supervision of the Information and Cultural Affairs Department and will provide basic facilities to devotees attending the celebrations.

Local municipalities, district administrations, police departments and Rath Yatra committees will jointly coordinate to ensure proper management of these service centres. The facilities will focus on assisting visitors, maintaining crowd management and providing necessary support during the festivals.

Along with Rath Yatra preparations, the Chief Minister has also announced special arrangements for devotees participating in the traditional water pilgrimage during the holy month of Shravan.

He stated that service centres would be established every five kilometres along the route from Sheoraphuli to Tarakeswar to assist pilgrims travelling towards the Tarakeswar temple. The government is also carrying out development work worth ₹15 crore to improve the infrastructure and facilities at Tarakeswar Dham.

For providing special support to Shravan pilgrims, three religious locations have been selected:

• Jalpesh Temple in Jalpaiguri
• A temple located in the Jayanti region near the Bhutan border
• Tarakeswar Temple

These locations will have dedicated service centres equipped with essential facilities for pilgrims. The centres will provide:

• Police assistance booths for security and guidance
• Temporary medical camps for emergency healthcare support
• Drinking water facilities during the journey
• ORS distribution to prevent dehydration
• Rest areas for pilgrims travelling long distances

The Chief Minister said that several states across India provide official support for religious traditions and pilgrim services, adding that similar assistance would now be extended in the state as well.

He further announced that rose petals would be showered from helicopters on Shravan pilgrims every Monday during the holy month, provided weather conditions remain favourable. He also confirmed that he would personally visit Tarakeswar on July 14 to participate in the arrangements.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the government's broader plans for preserving religious and cultural heritage. Referring to the state budget, he mentioned the introduction of a "Pilgrimage Circuit" aimed at developing important religious destinations and promoting heritage tourism.

He said that several historic religious sites, including monasteries, temples and the Kiriteshwari temple, would be renovated and brought under heritage conservation programmes. The government has allocated ₹1,000 crore for the maintenance, preservation and development of religious places across the state.

In addition, the Chief Minister announced that hospitals operated by Bharat Sevashram Sangha have been included under the Ayushman Bharat health scheme, expanding healthcare benefits for people associated with these institutions.

He also revealed that the government has decided to provide a ₹5 crore corpus fund for Shimla Street, the birthplace of Swami Vivekananda, to support its preservation and development.

Through these initiatives, the government aims to strengthen cultural heritage conservation, improve facilities for devotees and provide better support systems during major religious festivals and pilgrimages across the state.