BANKURA: Ahead of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced schemes for redressing grievances of people at the block level and providing motorbikes to youths to help them run small businesses.
Banerjee, while speaking at a public distribution programme at Khatra in Bankura district, also claimed that the BJP-led central government was not in favour of giving free treatment to COVID-19 patients.
Under the "Duare Duare Paschim Banga Sarkar" (West Bengal government at every doorstep) scheme, the administration will set up camps in blocks, from which officials will redress grievances of people, she said.
"There will be 'Duare Duare Paschimbanga Sarkar' camps in every block of West Bengal. In these camps, representatives all departments will look into the requirements of people and try to fulfil them, if possible, immediately," the chief minister said.
Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, said that such camps will start from December 1.
She also launched the "Karmai Dharma" (Work is worship) scheme under which two lakh youths will be provided with one motorbike each with assistance from cooperative banks.
"There will be boxes on the back of the bikes (for carrying items to be sold). Youths will be able to sell sarees, or clothes or any other articles. This initiative will help them run a family," the chief minister said.
At the programme held at the Sidhu Kanhu Stadium, Banerjee also said, without elaborating, that the government will be providing 100 per cent scholarship to those in genuine need of it.
The Assembly election in the state is due in April-May 2021.
On the treatment of coronavirus patients, Banerjee said, "They (the central government) will not give us anything throughout the year. They will also not allow us to treat COVID patients free of cost. They have not helped us in any way. They tell lies and threaten officers."
Meanwhile, BJP national president J P Nadda will visit the state in the second week of December to take stock of party organisation before the 2021 assembly polls, party sources said on Monday.
In a late night development it was decided that he will pay a two-day visit between December 7 to 10, state BJP sources said "The dates are not yet finalised. It will be decided within the next few days. The probable dates are between December 7-10" a state BJP leader said.
BJP state president Dilip Ghosh had last week said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Nadda will visit the state every month till the end of the West Bengal assembly elections next year.
Nadda had paid a day-long visit to north Bengal last month, while Shah was in the state for two days earlier this month.
After having a limited presence in the politically polarised state for decades, the BJP has emerged as the main rival of the ruling Trinamool Congress by winning 18 of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in the 2019 general elections.
With the BJP's strength increasing in the state in the last few years, its leaders are upbeat that the party will be able to end Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's 10-year rule in the state polls.
Election to the 294-member state Assembly is due in April-May next year.