Local trains to resume services after 50% of rural population gets vaccinated, says CM

Kolkata: Mamata Banerjee, while addressing the press at the state secretariat, Nabanna, on Wednesday (August 18, 2021), announced that local train services in West Bengal would resume once 50 percent of the rural population is vaccinated. ‘Local train services will resume after 50 percent vaccination is completed in the rural belts,’ CM Mamata Banerjee said at a press conference.

According to the chief minister, West Bengal has received 3.75 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines so far, including those purchased directly from the manufacturers, against its requirement of 14 crore doses. In her press conference, Mamata Banerjee stated that 75 percent of the people in Kolkata have been vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and over 80 percent in Howrah since the state government initially focused on the congested urban areas. Moreover, she noted that ‘extra caution’ was being taken amid fears that the third wave of the pandemic might have a greater impact on children and teenagers.

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Banerjee said that more than 46 lakh people had applied for the benefits of various welfare schemes under ‘Duare Sarkar’ (government at doorsteps) and Paray Samadhan (solution in the locality) initiatives, which began on Monday. As part of the ‘Duare Sarkar’ initiative, launched by Mamata Banerjee’s government in December last year, camps were set up across the state to register names for government schemes.

Earlier this year, PTI reported that the programme had garnered a huge response across West Bengal and had contributed significantly to TMC’s victory in assembly polls. In addition, the CM said that 30 lakh of 46 lakh applications have been submitted to avail of the ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ Scheme, which has assured financial assistance for women. In addition, amid reports of people flooding into the ‘Duare Sarkar’ camps in the state, she urged everyone to maintain social distance and adhere to the COVID-19 protocol. ‘The camps, numbering thousands, will run for a month. We will extend the period, if necessary,’ Banerjee asserted. Her message was to warn people against “unscrupulous elements” who take money to get their names on the lists.