Kolkata, Aug 27 (Reporter): The Calcutta High Court today ruled that Durga Puja committees which fail to submit utilisation certificates of previous state grants will not be entitled to fresh honorariums this year. The division bench of Justice Sujoy Pal and Justice Smita Das De said only those committees that filed expense statements within the stipulated time, in line with earlier court directives, will receive the one-time state honorarium of Rs 1.1 lakh. The judges also ordered the state government to submit a detailed report on utilisation certificates within a month after the puja holidays. During the hearing, Advocate General Kishore Dutta informed the court that out of 41,795 puja committees across West Bengal, only three, all based in Siliguri, had not furnished their accounts. The matter stems from a public interest litigation filed by activist Saurav Dutta, who alleged misuse of taxpayer money in the government’s puja funding scheme. His counsel, senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, argued that state resources meant for development were being diverted to festival grants. The government, however, has defended the initiative, saying the funds are used for public welfare campaigns like Safe Drive Save Life and for managing pujas under Covid-era restrictions. On Monday, the bench had sought clarity on whether committees that ignored last year’s directives had still received grants. “How many committees have not filed the certificates? Despite that, are they still receiving funds?” the judges had asked. The ruling comes as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the state’s largest-ever puja support package — Rs 1.1 lakh for each of nearly 43,000 organisers, at a cost exceeding Rs 450 crore. In addition, puja committees will enjoy an 80% concession on electricity bills, to be borne by CESC and the State Electricity Distribution Board. Since its inception in 2018, the grant has seen a steep climb — from Rs 10,000 with a 25% power rebate, to 85,000 in 2024, and now the record Rs 1.1 lakh in 2025, surpassing Banerjee’s earlier promise of Rs 1 lakh...////...