WB Chokher Alo Scheme 2024 has been launched by the West Bengal government on 5 January 2022. This is another major initiative after Duare Duare Paschim Banga Sarkar and Paray Paray Samadhan Yojana. In this scheme, the state govt. will provide free of cost eye treatment and spectacles to senior citizens.
WB Chokher Alo Scheme 2024
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced to start WB Chokher Alo Scheme 2024. This scheme will ensure cataract operations for senior citizens and eye treatment all for free. The new Chokher Alo Scheme has been kicked off from 5 Jan 2022. The free eye treatment project follows recent initiative to take benefits of West Bengal government’s schemes to people doorsteps.
Free Eye Treatment / Spectacles to Senior Citizens
CM Mamata Banerjee has announced that WB Chokher Alo Scheme 2024 aimed at eyes for all by 2025. The West Bengal govt. has set a target to operate for cataract of 20 lakh senior citizens. WB government will even provide free spectacles to 8.25 lakh elderly people who will undergo operation.
The state govt. of West Bengal will also conduct eye tests for 10 lakh students, of whom 4 lakh will get free spectacles. In addition to the students, anganwadi workers will also get an opportunity to have their eye testing done absolutely free of cost. Over 300 doctors and 400 optometry technicians would be engaged for this purpose.
1st Phase of Chokher Alo Scheme
The WB Chokher Alo Scheme Phase 1 has been started from 5 January 2022. In this 1st phase, around 1200 gram panchayats and 120 primary health centres would be covered. The remaining 2 phases would cover the remaining GPs and PHCs. CM Mamata Banerjee also inaugurated an advanced trauma-care facility equipped with modern infrastructure and facilities at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. The Rs. 10 crore unit will have 20 beds, two operation theatres and a 10-bed recovery room. An orthopaedic surgeon and a neurosurgeon will take care of emergency patients.
CM even mentioned that the first trauma care centre was built at SSKM Hospital but as people of North Bengal were deprived of the benefits, so this second centre was developed. Meanwhile, Banerjee had collected her Swasthya Sathi health card from a “Duare Sarkar” camp on Harish Mukherjee Street. CM has a Rs. 3 lakh mediclaim policy that was bought by her brother a long time ago. Though she has not been using it, she thought I should have the government health card, just like other people of my state.
Source / Reference Link: https://www.wbhealth.gov.in/uploaded_files/go/13415.pdf