KOLKATA, July 11: West Bengal’s flagship public service initiative, Bangla Sahayata Kendra (BSK), has surpassed ₹1,000 crore in e-wallet transactions, marking a significant milestone in the state’s ongoing digital transformation, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Friday.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Banerjee described the achievement as a reflection of the “efficiency, transparency, and public trust” in the state’s digital service delivery mechanism. The initiative is part of the state’s broader ‘Digital Bangla in Action’ programme.
“This initiative is empowering citizens, expanding access to government services, and is a major step towards universal, inclusive governance,” Banerjee wrote. She also congratulated the BSK operators and support staff, crediting their dedication for the accomplishment.
Launched in 2020, the BSK centres serve as single-window digital service hubs, providing over a thousand government services daily. These include widow pensions, student scholarships, caste and residence certificates, health insurance under Swasthya Sathi, agriculture support, and housing schemes. According to senior state officials, over 3,700 BSK centres across West Bengal currently handle thousands of citizens each day. Transactions conducted via e-wallets at these centres have seen exponential growth, with the ₹1,000 crore mark being crossed in a relatively short time. “This volume of digital transactions demonstrates the public’s increasing reliance on digital platforms for accessing essential services,” Banerjee said.
The services offered at BSK centres are typically linked to essential documents and schemes. Citizens pay nominal fees for these services, which are deposited into the state treasury. Officials said this model not only increases convenience for users but also contributes to state revenue. Following the milestone, the state government is planning to expand the BSK network further, with a focus on enhancing outreach in rural areas and increasing the range of services available. The BSK model has also significantly reduced the traditional bottlenecks of public service delivery — long queues, bureaucratic delays, and physical hardship. The digital-first approach is being credited with easing red tape and improving administrative responsiveness.
“In today’s Bengal, standing in long queues for certificates is a thing of the past,” said a senior official. “People now trust digital transactions, and BSKs have become their reliable ally.” The Weston Bengal government views the BSK success story as a benchmark for digital governance, with potential replication in other states.
