Duare Sarkar camps: Over 1.08 cr applications received for Lakshmir Bhandar in 23 days

Kolkata: Setting another milestone in terms of empowering women through the biggest outreach drive, the state government has extended all necessary support helping more than 1.08 crore women to submit their application forms so far to get the benefits of Lakshmir Bhandar scheme.

This comes in just 23 days time after the second edition of the Duare Sarkar programme commenced on August 16.

The estimated number of beneficiaries for the scheme is more than 2 crore. Already 1.56 crore of them have collected the application forms from Duare Sarkar camps.

Sources said that 1.08 crore out have already submitted their filled up applications till Wednesday afternoon for further processing to get the benefits that are Rs 500 and Rs 1000 for women from general and SC/ST categories respectively.

"This has become possible in just 23 days time after the second edition of the Duare Sarkar programme initiated on August 16. Applications of the remaining number of estimated beneficiaries would be collected by September 15," said a senior state government officer. Lakshmir Bhandar scheme, which is the brainchild of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has received overwhelming response. As a result, the state government had to decide to increase the number of counters specially for the Lakshmir Bhandar scheme. At the same time, the state government has also crossed the 3 crore mark in terms of providing assistance for different schemes through Duare Sarkar camps.

The total footfall at Duare Sarkar camps recorded till Wednesday evening was more than 2.89 crore.

With each of them approaching for more than one issue or to get enrolled in multiple schemes, the state government has so far provided services for 3.02 crore cases through the Duare Sarkar camps.

So far the state government has organised 65,071 camps with the total number of scheduled camps being 79,374.