Bengal govt employees to get 22 days off in Puja month

Signalling Durga Puja's return to pre-pandemic normality after two years of Covid curbs, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced that state government offices will be closed for 11 days from September 30 (Panchami) to October 10 (the day after Lakshmi Puja) this year. Puja-organising clubs are going to get a government grant of Rs 60,000 each, up from last year's Rs 50,000, report Dwaipayan Ghosh & Tamaghna Banerjee.