Kolkata once again saw the human face of chief minister Mamata Banerjee when, on her way to Nabanna, she distributed blankets to the conservancy workers. Except Dr B C Roy, no other chief minister was seen to feel for common people so deeply. Dr Roy, despite his busy schedule, attended patients at his Subodh Mullick Square residence every morning and treated them free-of-cost. On countless occasions he was seen visiting slums to treat people suffering from various diseases.
Miss Banerjee, on her way to Nabanna from her Kalighat residence, stopped her vehicle and distributed blankets to the conservancy workers in view of the biting cold. In her Facebook page she wrote, “Everyday, while going to Nabanna from my home, I come across conservancy workers. Their hapless condition pained me. I have always tried to be by the side of people.
That is my life’s motto. I felt so happy that I could distribute blankets among the conservancy workers.” It may be mentioned that during one of her trips to Jhargram, a boy asked him whether cycles would be distributed among the girls only? She decided that cycles would be given to the students of state run, sponsored schools and madrasas irrespective of sex. More than 1.5 crore cycles have been distributed so far and the project has reduced school drop outs and prevented early marriage.
Seeing some students going to school, Miss Banerjee decided that school bags, shoes and uniform would be given to the students of staterun schools. She took the initiative to give Rs 500 to the women of general caste and Rs 1000 to their counterparts belonging to SC and ST categories, under Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.
As a part of women empowerment Swasthya Sathi cards are given to women head of families and all the family members could get treatment up to Rs 5 lakh. Kanyashree has helped girls in schools and up to the postgraduate level. Under Rupashree a girl can get Rs 25,000 for her marriage.