The Mamata Banerjee administration will hold the ninth edition of Duare Sarkar between January 24 and February 1 where 37 services from various government departments will be made available in a bid to ensure that no eligible person is left out of the benefits extended by the state.
An order issued by chief secretary Manoj Pant on Thursday said citizens would be able to submit their applications at the outreach camps between January 24 and February 1 and those would be processed by February 28. Services to the eligible will be delivered once the applications are processed.
Under Duare Sarkar (government on doorstep), officials set up camps in a locality to receive applications from the residents of the neighbourhood who wish to enrol themselves to access welfare schemes or get corrected caste certificates and documents linked to land.
Sources said the government usually held Duare Sarkar camps twice a year since it was first organised in December 2020. In the past eight Duare Sarkar camps, the government delivered 8.82 crore services to the common citizens, including benefits like Lakshmir Bhandar.
“As the government could deliver services and benefits to the people living in the remotest part of the state, it could address the grievance against the ruling party. The Duare Sarkar camps were considered to be the major reason behind the Trinamool Congress’s massive win in 2021 Assembly polls even after the BJP had bagged 18 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls,” said a senior bureaucrat.
Sources said the government could not hold the Duare Sarkar camps in September last year following severe protests against the administration in the aftermath of the rape and murder of the junior doctor of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
“The government had plans to hold the camps in September last year, but they couldn’t conducted as the situation was not conducive.... As the situation is normal now, the state can hold the camps to extend benefits to common people who are yet to receive them,” said an official.
In this year’s Duare Sarkar, citizens can apply for benefits under Khadya Sathi, Swasthya Sathi, Lakshmir Bhandar and various pension schemes. Moreover, people can also apply for mutation of farmland, student credit cards and Kisan Credit Cards.
“Although a majority of the eligible are already enjoying benefits under the 70-odd development and assistance programmes run by the state government, a handful — particularly those living in the remote areas — could be left out. The government would try to reach out to them through these camps,” said an official.