Kolkata: Images of women pushing each other, heated arguments, deployment of police force and blatant violation of Covid protocols have been strewn across local vernacular media and television channels in West Bengal in the three days of the Mamata Banerjee government’s ‘Duare Sarkar’ camps.
Since 16 August, the state government has been conducting the Duare Sarkar (government at your doorstep) camps, through which it is accepting applications for various welfare schemes and other government work, such as issuance of caste certificate.
The crowds, however, have been thronging the camps for the Rs 500 monthly dole that the state government has promised general caste women, and the Rs 1,000 for women heads of the SC/ST community under the Lakhir (Laxmi/Lakshmi) Bhandar financial assistance scheme.
Speaking at the state secretariat, Nabanna, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday evening told reporters that of the 46 lakh applications that the government has received in the first three days of the camps, over 30 lakh were for Lakhir Bhandar.
The chief minister also appealed to the women of the state to not crowd the camps, promising that the money will be deposited in the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
“I will request all to refrain from overcrowding at the camps and follow Covid protocols. Covid restrictions are still on in the state,” she said.
“Anybody, who has a Swasthya Sathi (basic healthcare scheme) card or an Aadhar card will be eligible for the form.”
She added that the camps will go on for a month. “One just needs to fill up the form and submit it to the respective government offices. The financial assistance will directly go to the accounts,” she said.
“You do not need to gather at the camps in huge numbers. Please organise and take turns to reach the camps. The camps will run for a month, and if needed, we will extend them.”
The Lakhir Bhandar was part of the Trinamool Congress’ election manifesto earlier this year.
The government has already identified around 1.6 crore beneficiaries as eligible recipients of the scheme.
The scheme will come into force from 1 September.
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Crowding at the camps
According to the chief minister, around 2,100 such camps have already been set up across districts, and the number may even go up.
But there has been no let up in the crowds since the launch of the camps on 16 August.
Reports said at least 10 people were injured at a camp in Malda after a stampede-like situation occurred Wednesday. The women had queued up at the camps to collect the form for the Lakhir Bhandar scheme.
The camps have also come in for criticism from the opposition BJP, which accused the government of distributing doles as opposed to providing jobs.
“The pushing and shoving at the camps; the visuals of thousands gathering at the camps for Rs 500 to Rs 1000 per month and getting injured during a stampede-like situation reflect the state of impoverished Bengal,” state BJP vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar.
“This is really sad that they, violating all Covid norms, stood in the queues for hours to get Rs 500 per month. They are taking this trouble because they have no income, no job.”
(Edited by Arun Prashanth)
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