Registrations at Duare Sarkar camps have crossed one crore, of which 60 per cent people have registered for the newly introduced Lakshmir Bhandar scheme in the last nine days.

The second edition of the Duare Sarkar campaign ~ the biggest outreach drive to help people get benefits of state-run schemes at their doorsteps ~ was launched on 16 August and will continue till 15 September. One crore people have registered till the morning of 24 August.

Last time, under the first edition of the campaign, it took 18 days to record one crore registrations. Chief secretary HK Dwivedi today congratulated the district magistrates for the huge turnout at the Duare Sarkar camps.

According to government sources, ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ has been the most sought-after scheme in this edition of the ‘Duare Sarkar’ campaign, with 60 per cent of the people, who visited these camps, enrolling for it. Under this scheme, women belonging to the general category is to receive monthly assistance of Rs 500, while those belonging to the SC/ST communities would draw Rs 1,000 each per month.

Dwivedi has asked district magistrates to ensure that elected panchayat members, clubs and villagers are kept out of assisting women in filling up application forms of Lakshmir Bhandar in rural areas and asked the DMs to use
Kanyashree beneficiaries, members of self-help groups and college students for the purpose.

The ‘Swasthya Sathi’ scheme drew the next most enrolments in this phase of the ‘Duare Sarkar’ camps. Apart from these, enrolments were for caste certificates, Student Credit Card, Krishak Bandhu (New), ‘Bina Mulley Samajik Surakshya’ (social security free of cost), correction of minor errors in land records, the opening of new bank accounts, Kanyashree, Rupashree, Khadya Sathi, Shikhashree, Tapasili Bandhu, Manabik, Jai Johar and mutations of Agricultural land. A total of 32,830 camps were organised in the first edition.

Meanwhile, State BJP president Dilip Ghosh today said: “As it seems for mere Rs 500 this government has deliberately reduced the status of Bengal’s housewives to street beggars,” he said. “It’s ridiculous to see the women queuing up from the wee hours at 4 am till 4 pm. They are facing harassment, falling sick. I can’t digest – how this can be termed as people’s welfare!”