Even as she lamented the absence of State Sports Minister Madan Mitra who is behind bars for his alleged involvement in the Saradha scam, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee doled out financial assistance to 7,000 clubs in Kolkata on Saturday.
“Madan ( Mitra ) started this work, today he is not here but I am sure his good wishes are with us,” Ms Banerjee said at an event to mark three day ‘Vivek Chetna Divas’ in West Bengal.
The Chief Minister announced that every year January 10, which will mark the beginning of the three-day festival to commemorate the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, will be observed as ‘Khel Divas’. Swami Vivekananda anniversary is observed on January 12.
“Khel Dibas celebration is first in the country. From now on, every year, 10th January will be celebrated as Khel Dibas,” Ms Banerjee posted at a social networking site later in the evening.
At the event, she announced grants to about 7,000 clubs from different parts of the State to the tune of Rs 105 crore.
Ms Banerjee said Rs two lakh each would be given to 3,500 new clubs, and Rs one lakh each to another 3,500 clubs which had received Rs two lakh last year.
The scheme of giving financial assistance to clubs in Bengal by the State’s sports department was started in 2012 .
The decision to give financial assistance to clubs in Bengal has come under criticism from the Opposition.
The political parties in the Opposition describe the grants to clubs in a State suffering from economic crunch as an attempt to expand the ruling party’s support base.
- Bengal Chief Minister laments the absence of arrested Minister
Announces grants to about 7,000 clubs from different parts of Bengal