Mamata Banerjee's Adjustments: Postponements Amid Health Recovery and Administrative Priorities

Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister, decided to postpone most of her administrative and political commitments that were originally planned for the first week of January. This included her visit to Sagar Island, where she was supposed to supervise preparations for the island's massive annual congregation.

Despite the lack of an official announcement regarding the reason for the delay, a state government source stated that Mamata was told to take it easy for at least a week following her minor surgery on her right shoulder at the SSKM Hospital on Friday.

Since most of the events are held outside of Kolkata, she would have needed to travel by air and by road. A senior state government official stated, "Doctors recommended rest for at least a week even though there is no serious illness."

Every year during the first week of January, Mamata travels to Sagar Island to supervise the fair's preparations. In order to spare the administration more strain, she would rather not go to the location during the Gangasagar Mela.

This time, her visit to the island was rescheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

She will now travel for two days to inaugurate the Gangasagar Mela on January 8. A high-ranking official in South 24-Parganas stated that the chief minister would remain on the island until January 9. The fair will stay open through January 17th.

On Makar Sankranti, the Gangasagar Mela is a significant gathering where thousands of people travel from all over the nation to the island to visit temples and bathe in the Gangasagar.

Mamata was supposed to go to a public benefits distribution event in the same district on Thursday, but it has been rescheduled for January 9.

Once the chief minister opens the fair, all district officials will be preoccupied with Gangasagar. To expect the local government to plan another massive event, such as a public distribution program, for January 9 would be a difficult request. They would need to come up with a new strategy with a few more officials, the source added.

Mamata had an engagement at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Calcutta on Tuesday before heading to the Gangasagar Mela. Reportedly, she is not likely to do so at this time.

According to sources, the chief minister wishes to keep an eye on the state secretariat's operations in addition to his health. This is in response to the appointments of the new director-general of police, home secretary, and chief secretary.

"She would like to oversee their initiation into the posts as a handholding exercise, since they are taking charge ahead of the Lok Sabha elections at a critical juncture," an insider stated.

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