West Bengal has underestimated puja spending every year since FY20

WB has been missing its Puja Budget estimates

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced a 30 percent hike in financial assistance to Durga Puja committees, raising the grant to Rs 1.1 lakh per committee, up from Rs 85,000 last year. While the state government had budgeted Rs 448 crore for puja-related expenditure in FY26, actual spending is expected to exceed this estimate — continuing a multi-year trend of underestimation.

A Moneycontrol analysis of state budget and expenditure documents shows that since FY20, the West Bengal government has consistently spent more than it budgeted for puja celebrations, primarily in the form of direct assistance to puja committees.

FY20-FY25: A pattern of overspending

In FY20, the state had allocated Rs 10 crore for puja-related grants. However, actual spending ended up at Rs 61 crore—a six-fold increase. The following year, a five-fold jump was recorded over budget estimates.

Since FY22, the scale of overspending has become more muted but still persistent. Between FY23 and FY25, the state overshot its puja grant estimates by around 20 percent each year. For example, in FY25, actual spending reached Rs 385 crore, compared to a budgeted Rs 320 crore.

Rise in per-committee grants and reach

This consistent increase in spending has been driven by both higher per-committee grants and a rising number of registered puja committees. Since 2018, the grant has risen from Rs 10,000 to Rs 85,000 in 2024, while the number of beneficiary committees has doubled during the same period.

Religious events beyond puja

The state’s spending on religious and cultural events extends beyond Durga Puja. Over the past several years, the government has averaged Rs 6 crore annually for decorations, barricading, and logistical arrangements related to both puja and Muharram.

As FY26 begins with a grant increase and higher budgeted allocation, the historical pattern suggests that actual spending may once again overshoot official estimates—especially with Lok Sabha elections around the corner.