Lakhipur, Cachar | Under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the Assam government is transforming the lives of tea garden workers by ensuring high-quality healthcare reaches the most remote areas. This was stated by Minister Kaushik Rai on Saturday during the rollout of the Swasthyaban Shramik Yojana pilot project at Dewan Tea Estate in Cachar District.
Dewan Tea Estate: A Pilot for Progress
Dewan Tea Estate has been selected as one of the 20 tea gardens across Assam to implement this ambitious health and welfare scheme. Speaking as the Chief Guest, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies, and Barak Valley Development, Kaushik Rai, described the initiative as a milestone in people-centric governance.
“This scheme marks a decisive step toward improving the quality of life for tea garden workers, who are the backbone of Assam’s economy,” the Minister said, while thanking the Chief Minister for approving the pilot project.
Major Infrastructure Boost for Cachar Tea Gardens
Beyond the Swasthyaban Shramik Yojana, Minister Rai announced several key infrastructure developments for the district:
- Ayushman Arogya Mandirs: ₹3 lakh has been sanctioned for each of the 27 tea garden hospitals in Cachar to upgrade them into modern health centers.
- Lakhipur LAC Upgrades: The Minister laid the foundation stone for the renovation and repair of seven tea estate hospitals under the Lakhipur Legislative Assembly Constituency.
- Holistic Welfare: He emphasized that true development includes health, dignity, and social security combined.
Administrative Support & Health Outreach
Outgoing Cachar District Commissioner Mridul Yadav, IAS, attended the event on his final day in the district. Minister Rai lauded Yadav’s commitment to strengthening welfare schemes. DC Yadav expressed confidence that the district’s health machinery would successfully realize the goal of “Health for All” within the tea garden community.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Shibananda Roy, Joint Director of Health Services, highlighted that the program focuses on the early detection of preventable diseases.
Impact on the Ground: Health Camp & TB Support
As part of the launch, a comprehensive health camp was organized at Dewan Tea Estate. The impact was immediate:
- 293 patients were examined by specialists and general physicians.
- Services included OPD, lab tests, eye screening, and malaria/NCD screenings.
- Nikshya Poshan Kits were distributed to nine tuberculosis patients from Lakhipur LAC to support the national TB elimination drive.
The event, held at Dewan Nichline Main Durga Mandap, was attended by PRI members, health officers from Lakhipur and Harinagar BPHCs, and NHM District Programme Manager Rahul Ghosh.
