West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that her government's 'Safe Drive Save Life' campaign has helped in cutting down road accident casualties to a "significant extent" in the state.
She also asserted that the drive will receive global recognition, much like her 'Kanyashree' project, and other states will emulate the model in near future.
The 'Safe Drive Save Life' campaign, launched by the Banerjee-led TMC government in 2016, aims to inculcate a "sense of responsible road behaviour" among people.
"If 1000 lives can be saved by this campaign in a year, it is significant" she said at the annual cultural programme of Kolkata Police at Netaji Indoor Stadium here.
The number of fatalities from road accidents as recorded by the state government in 2017 was 5,625, down from 6,544 in 2016.
Sikkim has already emulated West Bengal's road safety campaign model and other states will also follow suit, the chief minister maintained.
"Remember the saying 'What Bengal thinks today, all India thinks tomorrow'. Our campaigns like 'Safe Drive Save Life' are now being adopted by others," she said, requesting participation of youth and children in the campaign.
Lauding Kolkata Police for its community development work, Banerjee said the law enforcers has been ensuring security of common people, besides undertaking social services, which seldom comes to notice.
"Police help in organising blood donation camps in localities but they never publicise their work. They are often involved in community development work, apart from enforcing law and order here. It is best not to subject them to unfair criticism," the CM said.
The Mamata Banerjee government had last year received UN award and recognition for Kanyashree Prakalpa, a scholarship scheme aimed at empowering the girl children in the state.
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