Kolkata: The Puja Durga Committee in the city claimed to have redeemed most of the losses they pursued last year due to the pandemic and economic slowdown.
After the second wave of sweeping, because Covid cases gradually fell, the business began to take, even though it was slowly, and for Puja, more work was created than the last time, giving the opportunity to the local economic arm, the Puja Committee said.
Organizers generate revenue from several streams, including company sponsors, advertisements in gates, banners, stockpiling, advertisements in souvenirs, sales rooms for food kiosks and a weld subscription and local subscription.
Over the past few years, the state government has also distributed RS 50,000 to each committee.
Although Puja, one of the largest street festivals in the world, was held in September-October, preparation began at least six months earlier.
From designers to decorators, from idol makers to priests, medium-sized puja produces jobs for 100-150 people.
The celebration muted last year has pressed all income streams.
But the vaccination of the substantial part of the population in the city and the suburbs and a decrease in Covid cases gave the committee to the courage to celebrate the festival, and that, in turn, improved the economic situation.
“The situation is far better this year for all Puja organizers,” said Saswata Basu, Secretary General of the Forum for Durgotsab, the Puja Organizing Agency.
“If last year’s income from sponsors, advertisements and subscriptions fell to 30% of the usual numbers, up to 75% -80% this year.
Some factors, such as Largescale vaccination, government assistance, the number of lower Covid cases and enhance the situation Economy, “said Basu, as well as the organizer of Hatiban Sarbojanin.
In 2019, a study assigned by the British Council, on behalf of the State Tourism Department, revealed that the economy around Puja was around Rs 32,377 Crore, 2.6% of Bengal GDP in 2019-20.
“Last year, there were almost no company sponsors and individuals who only paid half the number of subscriptions.
But this year, sponsors increased by 50%.
We received many advertisements for our souvenirs and the number of banners also increased,” said Subhankar Roychowdhury, Secretary General of Bhawanipore Durgotsab Samiti.
Income found a way to the rural economy too.
“Artists, idol makers, Dhakis and Labor arrived in the city a few months before Puja.
They were involved by the committee and remuneration to go to their village and city,” said the Ekdalia Evergreen Club ekdalia.