Guwahati (Assam) [India], September 25 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday attended a free hearing aid distribution camp organised by the Deen Dayal Sravana Foundation in collaboration with the National Health Mission (NHM), Assam, at the Assam Water Centre, Basistha, in Guwahati.
A total of 200 financially disadvantaged individuals, including children with hearing impairments from Kamrup Metropolitan, Kamrup, Morigaon, and Nalbari districts, received free hearing aids.
Speaking on the occasion, CM Sarma noted that the Deen Dayal Sravana Foundation was established in honour of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, a prominent humanitarian and philosopher.
The Chief Minister remarked that today's distribution of hearing aids marks the 109th birth anniversary of Pandit Upadhyaya, who championed the upliftment of society's most marginalised individuals through his concept of Antyodaya.
CM Sarma underscored that true societal progress is achievable only when each individual is empowered, a principle central to Pandit Upadhyaya's philosophy of Integral Humanism.
The Chief Minister expressed his sincere thanks to Regula Ramanjaneyulu, founder and chairman of the Deen Dayal Sravana Foundation, and to all those involved in executing this initiative.
He extended his congratulations to today's hearing aid recipients and conveyed his gratitude to the stakeholders, including Coal India Limited, for their essential role in supporting this noble endeavour.
Assam CM Sarma highlighted that an estimated 3.40 crore children worldwide are currently affected by hearing impairment, while approximately 30 per cent of individuals over the age of 60 have experienced a loss of hearing ability. Citing data from the World Health Organization (WHO), he noted that around 6.30 crore people in India are dealing with significant hearing impairments.
The CM emphasised that early identification of the causes of hearing loss, followed by appropriate interventions, could greatly mitigate the condition.
He praised the initiative undertaken by the Deendayal Sravana Foundation, in collaboration with NHM, Assam, to identify eligible beneficiaries and provide them with free hearing aids, describing it as both timely and impactful.
CM Sarma mentioned that the Deendayal Sravana Foundation, established in 2018, has committed itself to the goal of creating a hearing impairment-free India by 2047, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for a developed nation.
He also acknowledged that more than 11,000 individuals in Andhra Pradesh and Mizoram have already benefited from this initiative.
The CM stated that, in collaboration with the National Institute of Public Cooperation And Child Development and the NHM's Child Health Programme, 3,130 individuals with hearing impairments have been identified to receive free hearing aids.
In addition to today's distribution to 200 beneficiaries, another 200 individuals from the districts of Bongaigaon, Chirang, Kokrajhar, and Goalpara would receive hearing aids at a programme scheduled in Bongaigaon tomorrow.
He emphasised that, in the first phase of this initiative by the Deendayal Sravana Foundation, a total of 400 economically disadvantaged individuals would benefit.
CM Sarma reiterated the various measures being undertaken by the State Government to eliminate hearing impairment from society.
Today's event was graced by the presence of several distinguished guests, including MP Bijuli Kalita Medhi; Commissioner and Secretary to the Govt. of Assam, Health and Family Welfare Department etc., Dr. P. Ashok Babu; Mission Director of the National Health Mission (NHM) in Assam, Dr. Lakshmanan S; General Manager of North Eastern Coalfields (NEC), K. Mere; Founder and Chairman of the Deen Dayal Sravana Foundation, Regula Ramanjaneyulu, and Advisor, Dr. T.V. Sarvarayudu, along with other esteemed dignitaries.