Barasat: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the 24th Yatra Festival here on Friday afternoon. The festival will be held for 32 days. After coming to power in 2011, Banerjee has given special emphasis on the revival of Yatra and folk culture. More than 1.5 lakh folk artistes are being given monthly stipend. The state government also gives various musical instruments like dhamsa, madal and flute to the folk artistes free of cost. Yatra, which was very popular in rural Bengal, lost much of its importance due to the introduction of video parlours where Hindi feature films were shown. Many of the Yatra artistes had since changed their vocation. The month-long festival has given economic boost to the Yatra troupes. Yatras are held in different fairs which are held in the state throughout the year. State Sports minister Aroop Biswas and well-known Yatra artistes were present at the inaugural session of the festival. Banerjee laid the foundation of a slew of projects in North 24-Parganas, which include Kanmari underground pipe-water supply project at Sandeshkhali Block 1. She also inaugurated the pipe-water supply project in Hingalgunj and Sridharkati in Hingalgunj block. Seventeen new roads in the block will be laid and the seven existing roads will be upgraded. Two boys hostels will be set up at Tyangra Adarsha Sikshaniketan in Habra block II and Chanpagachi High School in Rajarhat Block. A community hall will come up at Barrackpore II block, while a water supply project will come up in North Dum Dum Municipality. She also distributed relief kits and money among some people belonging to the Bulbul-hit areas of North 24-Parganas. She distributed Swastha Sathi cards among the beneficiaries and provided financial assistance to the youths under Swami Vivekananda Swanirbhar Karmasangsthan Prakalpa. She distributed e-rickshaws among some unemployed youths as well.

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