The form and practice of governance has undergone transformation over the years with a lot of focus on being geographically responsive, customer friendly and participatory. In this respect, a highly commendable innovation is the Duare Sarkar scheme in the state of West Bengal launched by chief minister Mamta Banerjee in the year 2020. Duara Sarkar, that is `Government at the Doorstep,‘ aims at providing services, welfare benefits and schemes to the people, particularly in remote locations which are not well served by public institutions. This scheme has drawn praise from all quarters of society because of its innovative nature of public service delivery even at the periphery of society.
Duare Sarkar – What’s the Meaning
The Duare Sarkar scheme was started to connect the government with the people in general and the rural people in particular who have always struggled to access government services owing to distance. Many rural and tribal people face difficulties in using various government services. The lack of information, the distance from government offices, the bureaucratic barriers, and the poor service delivery systems compound the problems. This, in return, results in the denial or delays of crucial services such as education, healthcare, social assistance, and even funding.
In trying to call the policy response that deals with these issues, Duare Sarkar was meant to do just that, respond to these key issues by putting the services closer to the people. It not only facilitates efficient service delivery but also enhances the accountability and transparency of the public services.
The Features That Make Duare Sarkar Stand Out
Duare Sarkar is an ‘omni channel’ program that endeavors to make government services and schemes available at a single touch point. This essay seeks to explain the most important features of the initiative:
Accessing Government Services: Doure Sarkar captures the opportunity of ensuring that many government services are availed to the client through the use of mobile camps or outreach services. These camps are strategically set up in many parts of the state including impoverished villages so people can easily access the governmental services they need which include health services, pension schemes, ration cards, scholarships, etc.
Mobile Camps and Outreached Services: The government sets up temporal community service centers and camps at selected sites where government functionaries are supposed to offer the people assistance. These camps are normally set up in places far from government buildings so that people who travel a distance to access these services do not incur additional costs.
Direct Engagement of Officials: One unique aspect of Duare Sarkar is the direct engagement of the citizens with the government officials. This direct engagement enables the ordinary citizen to understand and use the various services available, benefit from grievance redressal, and get assistance with the relevant documents and procedures. Such direct engagement also reduces the chances of corruption through middlemen which is a common phenomenon.
Inevitably, the Duke Sarkar is beneficial in bridging these challenges. He provides on the spot assistance in going through the arduous task of filling out the forms, compiling all the necessary documentation, and even providing aid submitting applications for the government programs and schemes.
Identification of Target Groups: The focus is on the SC, ST, women, elderly, and other disabled persons who are the most weak and vulnerable. These people often find it difficult to interact with any governmental services. Therefore, this intervention of the Government of West Bengal tries to overcome these challenges using hand holding services.
Effect of Duare Sarkar
Ever since its inception, the impact that Duare Sarkar had on the people of West Bengal is remarkable. The program has provided population with help in a number of critical areas such as:
Increased Access to Social Security Schemes: One of the biggest advantages of the Duare Sarkar program is the increased access the people have to more social security schemes. Numerous people were able to apply for and benefit from Kanyashree which aims at boosting girl child education or Rupashree which assists in the marriage of women from below poverty line families.
Reduction in Red Tapes: Duare Sarkar has particularly reduced the effort and time one has to spend in order to access services provided by the government. The program cuts back on the amount of red tape associated with government services.
Through outreach work, more people have come to learn about the initiatives by the government especially the rural folk who were previously oblivious of the options available to them. The Duare Sarkar project aims to make the underprivileged people aware of such schemes and encourage them to benefit from it.
Public gripes are being attended to at the camps which builds confidence among the public. The public trust on the state government has increased with the introduction of Duare Sarkar because government services have become user friendly. Inclusion emerges as the government actively seems to be making efforts at improving the lives of the average citizen.
While this new initiative has achieved much success, it has also had challenges. For example, one of the challenges is the overwhelming nature of the initiative. The high number of services combined with a high rural populations means that there is unequal service coverage provided. There has also been some concern over logistical issues concerning the mobile camps; such as whether there would be enough infrastructure and personnel.
Some have complained that these programs are politically motivated simply as means for the ruling party to gain popularity during election time. There is, nonetheless, a broad consensus that this is a step towards pluralistic governance and meeting the needs of the people.
Conclusion
The service delivery model of the government is altered in a fundamental way by Duare Sarkar through the online service delivery portal. This program has made it possible for people in remote and backward areas to become welfare recipients of schemes which they were previously unable to avail of. This program has been undertaken comprehensively and inclusively despite the inherent weaknesses of the program and in the future other states might seek its general admixture governance. The change in the nature of Duare Sarkar from what it used to be has provided a reason to believe that the program will benefit the society.
If you are interested for more: 5 Powerful Ways Nara Lokesh is Transforming Andhra Pradesh 5 Powerful Ways Duare Sarkar Has Transformed West Bengal for the Better
