Armed with chart papers, sketch pens and rangoli powders, villagers in Jalpaiguri district are literally drawing their development dreams.
In a move that could shape the future of grassroots planning in Bengal, the state government’s new scheme Amader Para, Amader Samadhan (APAS) has taken on a new, participatory form in Jalpaiguri district.
While the scheme empowers citizens to decide how to spend ₹10 lakh allocated per polling booth, the Jalpaiguri district administration has added a transformative layer, using social mapping, resource mapping, and visual planning tools to help communities identify and prioritise their local development needs.
At the heart of this unique approach are community-led planning camps where local residents gather to draw maps, mark existing infrastructure, highlight gaps and recommend schemes tailored to their real, lived experiences.
“The APAS scheme is an outstanding step by the state government to promote grassroots democracy. In Jalpaiguri, we have used participatory tools like social and resource mapping to make the process even more inclusive and impactful,” said Shama Parveen, the district magistrate (DM) of Jalpaiguri.
“People are literally drawing their dreams on paper. This is democracy in action,” the DM added.
Raunak Agarwal, the assistant district magistrate (ADM, development) of Jalpaiguri said that people gathered, made maps and identified the actual needs of their area.
“It is ensuring inclusiveness and bringing a sense of ownership among the people. Using basic materials like chart paper, markers, sketch pens and rangoli powder, residents are sitting with self-help group members, panchayat officials and Nirman Sahayaks to map out their neighbourhoods. They are highlighting households, schools, ICDS centres, ponds, farmlands and roads of their respective areas. These hand-drawn maps serve as the foundation for structured discussions on urgent civic issues, broken roads, water scarcity, poor lighting and lack of drainage,” he said.
In Dhupguri municipality, one such camp was hosted at Sukanta Mahavidyalaya, covering booths 171, 172, and 173 in a largely agrarian belt.
Around 150-odd citizens per booth participated in the camp. E-rickshaws were arranged to ferry those above 80, ensuring no one was left behind. Residents earmarked the ₹10 lakh-per-booth allocations to built 250-metre roads, culverts and solar street lights, marking their needs directly on the community maps for transparency and clarity.
In Rajganj block's booth 135, a camp held in the Rajgunj Bandar Junior High School saw footfall of 276, with women leading the way.
“The booth, with an ICDS centre, three schools, and a haat bazar, saw demands for solar drinking water units, proper drainage and cement-concrete roads. People used the ‘Swapner Para’ approach, imagining their dream village and suggesting schemes accordingly. Telemedicine facilities were also arranged in Rajganj block,” the ADM added.
The Matiali block camps saw high turnouts. At Batabari gram panchayat, booths 53, 54, and 55 drew around 1,000 people, with booth 53 alone recording over 450 participants.
Projects like solar lights, fencing, submersible pumps for ICDS centres and drain rejuvenation were proposed, said sources.
In Jalpaiguri sadar block, the camp at Subhash Bidyapeeth Primary School covered booths 244 and 247 with a combined turnout of 871. Residents called for 150 metres of road upgrade, 15 solar street lights, hand tubewells and culvert repairs.
“The initiative’s hallmark was its deep inclusivity, with SC/ST groups, women and economically weaker sections actively participating,” said a source.
The ADM stated that every voice mattered. “People discussed openly, marked their problems clearly and suggested solutions that fit their realities. The process helped us remove duplication, reduce conflict and match each problem with a precise scheme,” he said.
A Rajganj villager agreed with the ADM. “For the first time, we are deciding where the money goes. We will make the best use of the fund for our needs," he said.