• The Assam government has launched Swasthyaban Shramik Yojana, a universal health screening initiative for the tea garden community, to ensure affordable and quality healthcare for one of the state’s most vulnerable population groups.

About Swasthyaban Shramik Yojana

• Launched by the Health and Family Welfare Department, Assam.
• Inaugurated at Jutlibari Tea Estate near Duliajan by Ashok Singhal.
• Approved as a pilot project in the Assam Budget 2025–26.
• Targets tea garden workers, who constitute nearly 20 per cent of Assam’s population and are central to the state’s tea-based economy.

Coverage and implementation

• Pilot phase to be implemented in 20 tea estates across Assam.
• Includes estates such as Jutlibari, Moran, Sessa, and Ghagrajan in Dibrugarh.
• ASHA workers will conduct household visits and complete Community-Based Assessment Checklists.
• Mobile Medical Units will provide on-site screening and treatment.

Health issues addressed

The scheme focuses on early detection and management of:

• Anaemia (across all age groups)
• Malnutrition, including severe and moderate acute malnutrition
• Non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes
• Communicable diseases like tuberculosis and leprosy
• Lifestyle risks linked to early alcohol and tobacco consumption

Why the scheme is important

• Tea garden workers face a high disease burden and limited access to healthcare.
• Early screening helps in:
  • Reducing preventable deaths
  • Lowering long-term healthcare costs
  • Improving productivity and quality of life
• The scheme complements national health efforts like Ayushman Bharat by strengthening preventive and primary healthcare.

Key terms explained

• Universal health screening: Health check-ups for all individuals in a target group.
• Non-communicable diseases: Long-term diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
• Community-Based Assessment Checklist: Tool for early risk identification.
• Mobile Medical Unit: Vehicle-based healthcare service for remote areas.
• Anaemia: Low haemoglobin levels, common among women and workers.

Exam Hook

UPSC Prelims – Statement-based Question

Q. With reference to Swasthyaban Shramik Yojana, consider the following statements:

1. It aims at universal health screening of tea garden workers in Assam.
2. The scheme focuses on both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
3. It is implemented exclusively through private hospitals.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer: 1 and 2 only

One-line wrap:
Swasthyaban Shramik Yojana recognises that the health of Assam’s tea gardens begins with the health of its workers.

Source