Gangasagar not less than Kumbh, but Centre does not give money for it, says Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the central government does not provide funds for the annual Gangasagar Mela, which is held in West Bengal, though it provides lots of assistance to Kumbh Mela. Addressing the inauguration of Gangasagar Mela, 2020 at Outram Ghat in the city, she said, "Gangasagar Mela is at par with the Kumbh Mela. The Centre provides funds for Kumbh Mela but does not extend financial assistance for Ganga Sagar."

South 24 Parganas: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Centre of not giving any funds for the Gangasagar Mela which is held annually in the Sagar Islands in South 24 Parganas district.

"The Central government gives a lot of money for the Kumbh Mela, but Ganga Sagar Mela is not less than the Kumbh for which the Centre does not give any money. We do not take any money from anyone for the infrastructure and development of Ganga Sagar nor do they give me," Banerjee said on Wednesday.

West Bengal Chief Minister also announced insurance of Rs 5 lakh per person, in case of any incident, for all the pilgrims who will visit the Sagar Islands till January 17.

"My government has done enough for Ganga Sagar. Earlier nothing had been done here," she further stated.

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The Gangasagar Mela is held annually at the Sagar Island during the Makar Sankranti festival, thousands of pilgrims come to take a dip in the holy Ganga river during that time.

The Kumbh Mela, on the other hand, is celebrated in a cycle of approximately 12 years at four river-bank pilgrimage sites in Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain.

The last Kumbh Mela was held in 2019 at Prayagraj.