Kolkata, Aug. 27 -- The West Bengal government has allocated nearly Rs 8.97 crore for grand Raksha Bandhan celebrations across the state, with over 25 lakh rakhis to be distributed. Of this, Rs 2.85 crore has been earmarked for procuring and supplying 25.60 lakh rakhis across Bengal.
Raksha Bandhan programmes will be held across 345 blocks at a cost of Rs 86.25 lakh.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said on Thursday that around "4,000 Raksha Bandhan-related programmes would be organised across the state, drawing more than one crore people". Participants would also take an oath to work for Bengal's reconstruction under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The largest allocation, Rs 3.34 crore, has been earmarked for celebrations across 3,342 Gram panchayats. The festival will also be organised at district, subdivision, block, municipal and civic levels.
The 22 district headquarters will receive a combined allocation of Rs 22 lakh, while Rs 1 lakh each has been set aside for programmes organised by the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).
For 144 KMC wards, Rs 28.80 lakh has been allocated. Six municipal corporations will receive a total of Rs 6 lakh, while 121 municipalities have been allotted Rs 1.21 crore. A sum of Rs 11.25 lakh has been earmarked for celebrations in 45 subdivisions.
The state-level event at Kolkata's Nazrul Mancha, to be attended by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, is expected to draw around 2,500 students.
This will be the first Raksha Bandhan celebration to be organised on such a large scale in Bengal. The government has projected the festival as an occasion to strengthen bonds of love, brotherhood, communal harmony and national sentiment.
The state Youth Services and Sports department will collaborate with the Information and Cultural Affairs department to organise the Raksha
Bandhan Festival.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.