The Mamata Banerjee headed govt. of West Bengal has started a new WB Chokher Alo Scheme 2023. Now the state government will provide free cataract operations as well as spectacles to senior citizens. This scheme would ensure that each elderly person will get complete eye treatment absolutely free of cost under TMCs regime.

Chokher Alo Scheme in West Bengal Budget 2023-24

While presenting West Bengal Budget 2023-24, Finance Minister said "a unique initiative Chokher Alo project, has started since 4th January 2021, for ensuring universal 'Eye Health for All'. As of now 49.94 lakh persons have been screened and 7.4 lakh cataract surgeries performed till date. To ensure improved eye vision particularly for people of lower income groups, 12.1 lakh spectacles have been distributed to old persons and 63,463 spectacles to school children till date". 

About WB Chokher Alo Scheme 2023

The new WB Chokher Alo Scheme 1st phase was kicked off from 5 January 2021 and now 3rd phase is going to start from 5 February 2023. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has officially launched this major initiative after the successful run of Duare Sarkar and Paray Paray Samadhan Scheme. West Bengal govt. is going to give complete eye treatment, cataract surgeries and operations, spectacles absolutely free of cost to senior citizens.
The free eye treatment project namely Chokher Alo follows recent initiative to take benefits of WB govt's schemes to people doorsteps.  

Free Cataract Surgeries / Spectacles in Chokher Alo Yojana

CM Mamata Banerjee has announced that WB Chokher Alo Scheme 2023 aims to realize the vision of "Eyes for All" by 2025. West Bengal govt. has set a target to perform cataract surgeries of 20 lakh senior citizens. The state government will even provide free spectacles to 8.25 lakh elderly people who will undergo operation.

WB state govt. will also conduct eye tests for 10 lakh students. Out of these 10 lakh students, around 4 lakh students will get free spectacles. Along with 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 free eye testing.

Chokher Alo Scheme 1st Phase 

The WB Chokher Alo Scheme Phase 1 was started from 5 January 2021. In this 1st phase, around 1200 gram panchayats and 120 primary health centres were covered. The remaining 2 phases would cover the remaining GPs and PHCs.

While launching the Chokher Alo Scheme 1st phase, CM Mamata Banerjee had 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 had 20 beds, two operation theatres and a 10-bed recovery room at the time of launch. 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 that she should have the government health card, just like other people of my state.