The West Bengal government's flagship outreach programme, Jan Kalyan Shivir, concluded on Thursday evening. The final day witnessed approximately 8-10 lakh people registering at over 2,000 camps across the state to access various government schemes and public services.
Extension of Camps
Given the overwhelming response, the government extended the camp duration by one day. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the extension during his visit to a camp at Falta on Wednesday. Officials reported that the four-day camps across the state recorded around 38-40 lakh registrations. Till Wednesday, the turnout was nearly 30 lakh.
Registration Details
An official stated, "A large number of people have benefitted from the extended deadline, with around 8-10 lakh new registrations today across the state. This is an approximate count from about 2,043 camps till 5 pm. Some camps saw larger crowds compared to the previous three days. Registrations by women outnumbered those by men." There were 16 camps across Kolkata, one in each of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation's boroughs covering 144 wards.
Camp Locations and Services
Community halls run by the civic body housed most camps, though some were held at the borough office at Belvedere Road, Girish Park off C R Avenue, a primary health centre at College Street, and a club at Bansdroni. On Thursday, all camps were teeming with people queuing for registration under 57 welfare schemes and government services, including Annapurna Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, old age pension, widow pension, and 100-day work programme. Over the past four days, camps operated from 10 am to 5 pm, with long queues outside venues.
Assistance Provided
Officials at service desks helped attendees fill forms, submit applications, and get documents photocopied. Those with grievances regarding government services were issued reference numbers.
Beneficiary Testimonials
Swapan Kar, who applied for the Ayushman Bharat scheme at a camp in Hatibagan, said, "Yesterday I could not register because I forgot my Aadhaar card. The extension helped me a lot. I came early and got my turn within an hour." Some attendees urged the government to conduct such initiatives more frequently. Septuagenarian Sikha Kar, who applied for the old age pension scheme at a camp in Kasba, said, "I live alone and didn't know where to apply. Jan Kalyan Shivir was a blessing."
