The Jharkhand government will launch the fourth phase of the welfare scheme — Aapki Yojana, Aapki Sarkar, Aapke Dwar (aimed at addressing grievances at beneficiaries’ doorstep) — from mid-July across all panchayats in Jharkhand.

The decision was taken by chief minister Champai Soren following consultation with the incarcerated Hemant Soren.

“Usually the Aapke Dwar programmes used to be launched towards the end of the year and culminate either during the statehood function (of November 15, marking formation of the Jharkhand state carved out of Bihar in 2000) or December end to mark the swearing-in of the government in 2019. However, keeping in view the Assembly polls scheduled by the end of this year, it has been decided to launch this most popular programme earlier,” said an official at the chief minister’s secretariat.

The official said that it was the pet programme of JMM executive president Hemant Soren and had gained massive popularity among masses.

“We want to reach out to the masses especially tribals, dalits, minorities and the poor with our welfare schemes and help them get the benefits, before canvassing for our government during the assembly elections,” he added.

The first ever phase of the Aapke Dwar scheme was organised after the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021 from November 15 to December 28 and witnessed over 35 lakh applications and saw 94.76 per cent of these applications being disposed of. The majority of the applications were for the universal pension scheme.

The second phase was organised from October 12 to November 1 in 2022 and saw 55.44 lakh applications out of which 97.39 per cent were disposed of. Most of them were for the Savitribai Phule Kishore Samridhi Yojana (stipends for girl students till 19 years).

The third phase was held from November 15 to December 26 in 2023 and witnessed a record 58 lakh applications, out of which over 54 lakh were disposed of. Most of them were for the state government housing scheme for the rural poor (Abua Awas Yojana).

JMM central general secretary and party spokesperson, Supriyo Bhattacharya, said that Sarkar Aapke Dwar was one of the most popular programmes of the government.

“It is one of the most popular programmes of the government taking the schemes to the doorstep of the people in each panchayat and people have benefitted immensely from it. We would ideally like to go for the Assembly polls after the programme and make people realise what the Hemant Soren government did for them and what the BJP failed to do during their rule,” said Bhattacharya.