Companies reluctant to offer donation to Bihu committees, budget cut on cards

FUND CRUNCH HITS BIHU COMMITTEES

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Many corporate houses are reluctant to donate funds to the Bihu committees to celebrate the Rongali Bihu citing bad financial condition due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.

The development has also forced the Bihu committees to cut their budget drastically.

"In the recent years we used to receive a good amount of donations from the corporate houses and companies to organize the Rongali Bihu. In exchange of donation the companies installed hoardings and displays at the Bihu celebration venues to advertise their products. This time, we are receiving less than 30 per cent of such corporate donations. Under such circumstances we have to curtail our budget," a member of the Pub Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani said.

A member of the Guwahati Bihu Sanmilani, Latasil said apart from multinational companies the local companies and firms are also reluctant to extend donations on the ground of "bad business".

"Earlier the companies used to donate substantial amount of money to sponsor our popular Bihu Rani/Bihu Konwori competitions. This time, we are struggling with a tight budget to organize such competitions," the member of Latasil Bihu Sanmilani said.

A senior executive of a multinational company based in the city said that his company has sent a proposal and budget for offering donations to different Bihu committees to the corporate headquarters in Mumbai. "But the proposal is pending at the corporate office due to the second wave of COVID-19 in Maharashtra. My company is already passing through fund crunch and I do not think that the proposal would be approved," he said.

On the other hand, the Bihu committees have asked the State Government to deploy its men and machinery for management and implementation of the COVID-19 safety SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) instead of shifting the burden on the cash-starved organizers.

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