Kolkata: West Bengal Jatra Academy today urged the district administrations to cooperate with Jatra parties and organisers, and extend them all facilities as per a recent state government directive.
The Academy president Aroop Biswas said he had already written in this regard to the authorities concerned in all districts requesting them to implement the directive issued by the secretary, state Information and Cultural Affairs department.
"A number of steps have already been taken by the state government to promote Jatras, a unique form of rural theatre in Bengal, and directives have issued to ensure their performances across the state," Biswas, who is also the state minister for Youth Affairs, said.
According to the directive, the organisers have to pay Rs 200 towards entertainment tax for each performance.
While for each of the Jatra Pala (performance), the organisers have to pay Rs 1,250 towards police tax, and an amount of Rs 5,000 for the same purpose for each of the leading Palas having Tollywood actors.
Besides, the organisers have to pay Rs 500 towards fire services and in case of any fire incident the amount would be Rs 2,500 for each Jatra Pala, it added.
However, the Jatra parties will not have to pay anything to any authority and they could move around the state uninterrupted with a sticker on their buses issued by the Information and Cultural Affairs department, sources said.
