The Mamata Banerjee government has asked district authorities to hold 20 per cent of upcoming Duare Sarkar camps in mobile mode to ensure that services are delivered to people living in the most remote corners of the state.

The fifth edition of the Duare Sarkar camps will be held between November 1 and 30.

“20% of all camps will be in mobile mode after due exercise for assessing local need and level of coverage in the past,” reads an instruction issued from Nabanna.

Sources in the state administration said the ruling establishment was keen to reach out to a maximum number of people through the coming edition of the Duare Sarkar camps with various welfare schemes as panchayat polls are scheduled for next year.

The focus was shifted to distant villages after the footfall had drastically come down during the fourth edition of the camps.

“In the first three editions, footfalls of more than 1.5 crore had been reported. But in the fourth edition, the number came down to 59 lakh. The state now wants to reach out to those who cannot reach the camps because of tough terrains or long distances,” said a senior official.

The sources said the decreasing footfalls suggested that the majority of the people had already secured the services offered at the camps and until a new scheme was launched, the number might not go up again.

“In such a situation, the state has targeted those who might not have secured the benefits in the first four editions as they could not visit the camps because of reasons like remote geographical location…. Since no new scheme could be launched because of lack of funds, bringing in new beneficiaries in the existing schemes is a good idea,” said a source.

The idea to reach out to people living in rural areas was conceived in the backdrop of the Centre’s decision to stop the release of funds under the 100-day job scheme. “Lack of jobs under the MGNREGA has hit this section of people.

“The state wants to reach out to them with some alternative benefits which they might not have secured so far. This could help the ruling establishment woo them ahead of rural polls,” said a source.