TMC's mass outreach move not related to poll debacle: Minister

West Bengal minister Sadhan Pande on Thursday asserted that the state government's mass outreach program has nothing to do with TMC's debacle in the Lok Sabha polls, and said the campaign is a policy decision to "fix loopholes". The ruling Trinamool Congress recently launched a party helpline number and website to address people's grievances.

"The 'Didikebolo' mass outreach program has nothing to do with the party's poll reverses in the state. It is just a policy decision to fix loopholes and reach out to the masses. "At times, the existing grievance address mechanism doesn't live up to expectations, so this new system will look to resolve such issues," Pande, who is the state's consumer affairs minister, told reporters.

As part of the public outreach program, 1,000 party leaders will visit 10,000 villages over the next 100 days to understand people's problems and redress their grievances. Pande, while, speaking on the various initiatives undertaken by his department, said it has decided to give Rs 5,000 as an incentive to nearly 10 lakh self-help groups in the state.

"We would also take up 125 villages and develop them as model villages. It would generate employment," he said. The TMC's tally in the 2019 parliamentary elections came down to 22 from 34 in 2014. On the other hand, the saffron party made massive inroads in West Bengal by winning 18 Lok Sabha seats out of a total of 42..