Swasthya Sathi: No new enrolments, process to continue for old applicants

KOLKATA: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will continue with the ongoing process of Swasthya Sathi, but will not seek any new application for enrolment or registration of names for the scheme with the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) coming into effect after announcement of Assembly elections in the state.

The process of handing over cards to people, who have already applied for Swasthya Sathi, will continue in all 16 borough offices in Kolkata. "We have directed the borough offices not to accept any new applications related to Swasthya Sathi. However, the process of handing over cards to those who have already applied can continue. Directions have been issued not to hold any camps in any of the 144 wards related to Swasthya Sathi," said a senior KMC official. A camp at ward 104 in Santoshpur area was stopped by the Commission officials on Monday. Sources said the camp was being held for clicking photographs and handing over cards to the beneficiaries, who had already applied and no new names were being registered.

"The BJP leadership is doing false propaganda that new names are being registered and are threatening the government officials associated with the poll duty," Tarakeshwar Chakraborty, coordinator of 104 ward said. More than 85 per cent of people in Kolkata, who have applied for the scheme, have already received their cards. The arrangement for handing over cards to the rest (who have already applied for the scheme) is being made at the borough offices. "We have not yet sent any communication to the DEOs regarding Swasthya Sathi," a state CEO official said.