Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced a grant of ₹85,000 for each Durga Puja committee in Bengal and a 75 per cent waiver on the organisers’ power bill.

The grant will be ₹100,000 next year, she promised.

“We started with ₹25,000 and gradually increased the grant to ₹70,000. This time, I am increasing it to ₹85,000. What more can this poor government afford for all of you?” Mamata announced to loud cheers.

“If we could hike the grant by ₹15,000 this time, I will make it (Durga Puja grant) ₹1 lakh next year,” Mamata said amid thunderous applause from the Puja organisers who had gathered for the annual pre-festival meeting at Netaji Indoor Stadium.

Durga Puja this year starts on October 9 (Sashthi). Mahalaya, the formal curtain-raiser to the main festival, is on October 2.

The chief minister decided to meet the organisers earlier than usual to ensure better coordination between them and the state administration and the police, officials said. Last year, the meeting was held in August.

“The number of pujas has gone up. This year, Durga Puja will be held slightly ahead of time. If we can plan with the Puja organisers and clubs in advance, mishaps can be averted,” Mamata said.

There are close to 43,000 recognised Durga pujas in Bengal, of which around 3,000 are in Calcutta.

Mamata said Kolkata Police and the state police should work in tandem to keep traffic smooth during the festival.

“Now, the festival usually starts on Mahalaya and I’m to be blamed for that. A day before Mahalaya I start inaugurating pujas,” Mamata said.

Last year, the chief minister had virtually inaugurated a clutch of Durga pujas across the city ahead of Mahalaya while recuperating from an infection in her leg.

Sreebhumi Sporting Club in Lake Town, whose key organiser is fire and emergency services minister Sujit Bose, was among the pujas that Mamata had inaugurated.

Police had to shut down the light-and-sound show at the Sreebhumi puja last year to avoid traffic congestions on VIP Road. Many had complained they missed flights because of the snarls.

On Tuesday, Mamata instructed the commissioner of Kolkata Police and senior officers of the state police to plan crowd management with the Puja organisers.

The organisers may be reluctant to share the details but the administration should have a fair idea of what is being planned, the chief minister said.

“Sudhu chamak diley hoy na. Lighting aar laser er khela korlam. Aarey plane-er accident hoye jetey paarey. (It can’t be just about springing surprises using lights and laser beams. It can lead to plane accidents),” the chief minister said.

“Sujit Bose is here. The road leading to the airport gets almost shut because of one puja. One must ensure that the traffic moves. And this applies to all.”

This year’s Durga Puja carnival on Red Road will be held on October 15.

Puja organisers welcomed the chief minister’s decision to increase the grant by Rs 15,000 and said Mamata has remained their go-to person for years.

“It’s because of Didi’s support and cooperation that Durga Puja in Calcutta has reached its present state,” said Saswata Basu, secretary of the Forum for Durgostav, an umbrella organisation of Puja organisers in the city.