Bengal govt programme “Duare Sarkar”: Over 2 lakh applications received on first day

The Mamata Banerjee government launched on Tuesday a programme to reach its various programmes to people’s doorsteps. Called Duare Sarkar – which means “the government at your doorstep” – the programme involves 20,000 special camps functioning across the state which people can visit to enrol their names or for registering their grievances and complaints. These 20,000 camps are being set up in 344 blocks of West Bengal from December 1, 2020 to January 30, 2021 (with some gaps, full list below).

According to officials, there were 2,19,994 people in various camps across the state, and 2,18,269 applications were received. Among all districts, most people queued up in 84 camps of South 24 Parganas, which 49,827 people visited. Next was West Midnapore’s 26 camps that got more than 19,000 visitors. Howrah, Nadia, East Burdwan, East Midnapore and Murshidabad also had huge number of applications.

According to officials, the camps will function in four phases across the state in all gram panchayat, municipality and municipal corporation levels. The camps will remain open from 10 am to 4 pm. The four phases are:

*Phase 1: December 1 to 11, 2020

*Phase 2: December 15 to 24, 2020

*Phase 3: January 2 to 12, 2021

*Phase 4: January 18 to 30, 2021

The camps are primarily handling registration and complaints regarding 11 state government schemes — Khadya Sathi, Swasthya Sathi, caste certificates, Sikshashree, Kanyashree, Rupashree, Aikyashree, Jai Johar, Taposili Bandhu, Krishak Bandhu and 100-days’ work, apart from receiving applications or grievances for other schemes like pensions for the elderly, widows, and differently abled.

A task force has been formed to supervise the entire programme at district and block levels. Senior IAS officers have been appointed nodal officers and BDOs have been asked to visit camps. Folk artists and other methods will help publicising the programme. There is real time monitoring of the camps and the government wants to gauge whether the grievances have actually been addressed.

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