Lakshmir Bhandar: Drive to ensure Lodha, Sabar women get benefits at doorsteps

KOLKATA: The Jhargram district administration has taken up special drives to provide benefits of 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme to the beneficiaries of Lodha and Sabar communities at their doorsteps.

Lodhas are adivasi groups, who live primarily in Jhargram and Paschim Medinipur districts. In Jhargram district, the total population of Lodha people is approximately 16,366. They are part of the Scheduled Tribe population.

They have been recognised as Primitive Tribal Group (PTG) by the Government of India.

Lodha people are traditionally dependent upon the forests for their living. Their socio-economic condition is very poor.

To support the Lodha people for their overall development, Jhargram district Administration has taken up several initiatives, which includes distribution of caste certificates and issuance of Swasthya Sathi cards on the spot.

All the eligible women, aged between 25-60 years, have been guided to enroll their name for 'Lakshmir Bhandar' Prakalpa.

Several people of Lodha community have already received caste certificates on the spot. Some of these beneficiaries include Sonali Mallick, Moyna Mallick, Rosna Mallick, Rupali Sabar of Sirishchak area under Jhargram District, among others. Others like Rupali Bhukta, Bhawani Bhukta, Puja Mallick, Mandira Mallick from Kadamkanan area of Jhargram district have got the benefits of other state-run schemes.

Senior state government officials said through the schemes, the economic condition of the people of these communities would be improved. Efforts are also being made to sensitise these women about the scheme.

It was Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's poll promise to initiate the minimum basic income scheme under which a woman member of an SC or ST family would get Rs 1,000 per month and one from other than SC or ST family would get Rs 500 per month in both urban and rural areas.

A woman, who is a resident of Bengal aged between 25 to 60 years, is eligible for 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme if she has Swasthya Sathi card.

In case, the applicant does not have a Swasthya Sathi card or Aadhaar card, she will be first provisionally registered under the 'Lakshmir Bhandar' scheme and will be facilitated to get the health insurance card or Aadhaar and then will be subsequently enrolled in the said scheme.