The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in West Bengal will provide financial assistance $Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday announced Rs 5 lakh each for 60 Rath Yatra committees, many of which are centuries old.
“The old rathas, especially those made of wood, need renovation. I hope the committees will use the money to repair and renovate the rathas,” Adhikari said.
Adhikari also announced that helicopters would shower flower petals on devotees undertaking the 30-km Shravan Yatra at Tarakeshwar in Hooghly district this year.
This is the first time that the government has provided such financial assistance to the Rath Yatra committees.
The Rath yatra is celebrated with much fanfare in many pockets across the state. Fairs are held in many places centered around this festival.
“Some of the Rath Yatra festivals, including Maheshdal in East Midnapore and Mahesh in Hooghly, are centuries old. The previous government only used to send some traffic police personnel to these Rath Yatras. The state government has decided to actively participate in the Rath Yatra festival from this year,” he said.
While the Maheshadal Rath Yatra is around 250 years old, the Mahesh Rath Yatra is over six centuries old and is considered the second oldest chariot festival after Puri.
The Prime Minister said that more Rath Yatra committees will be included in the list in the future.
Adhikari also said that the government will set up seva kendras (help booths) at at least 75 places where fairs centered around centuries-old rath yatras are being organised. Pilgrims will receive basic services in these kiosks.
Former CM Mamata Banerjee started the practice of providing financial assistance to Durga Puja organizers from 2018. In 2025, the Trinamool Congress government increased the state grant to community clubs organizing Durga Puja across Bengal from $85,000 each $1.10 lakh.
Allotted by the Government of West Bengal $Rs 1,000 crore to build the Bengal Shaktipeeth Circuit connecting major temples to facilitate pilgrimage and religious tourism over the next three years and develop a restoration plan for some prominent and iconic temples across the state.
The Prime Minister also said that for the first time, the state government will set up assistance booths along the routes taken by pilgrims during the Shravan Mela.
“Three routes have been identified, including one at Jalpesh in Jalpaiguri, Tarakeshwar in Hooghly and the third near the Indo-Bhutan border. Police booths, medical camps and kiosks will be set up where pilgrims can refresh themselves,” he said.
