Govt welfare schemes fail Lumding family as cancer patient fights for life

Hojai, Dec 27: At a time when both the State and Central governments are highlighting development, welfare schemes, and inclusive growth, a heart-rending reality has emerged from Lumding town in Hojai district, raising serious questions about the outreach of government assistance at the grassroots level.

Shambhu Sutradar, a resident of Ram Thakur Nagar of Lumding, is battling a life-threatening cancer, while his family struggles to survive an agonising test of poverty, neglect, and despair.

With no stable source of income and an extremely weak financial condition, the family has been pushed into a situation that resembles a daily trial by fire.

Despite repeated assurances of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, the family claims that till date they have not received the benefits of any major government welfare scheme.

Shockingly, they have been deprived of basic entitlements such as the Orunodoi scheme, government housing, Ayushman Bharat health card, and other essential social security benefits meant for the economically weaker sections.

While development narratives dominate political discourse, the situation in Lumding presents a starkly opposite picture – one where a critically ill citizen is left to fight for survival without institutional support.

The absence of an Ayushman card has made cancer treatment financially unbearable for the family, forcing them to depend solely on public sympathy.

Local residents and well-wishers have stepped forward to provide whatever financial help they can.

However, the support from the public has proven insufficient to meet the enormous cost of cancer treatment, medicines, and hospital care.

A substantial amount of money is still urgently required to continue Shambhu Sutradar’s treatment.

As days pass, the condition of the patient remains critical, and the burden on the family continues to grow heavier.

The family members, along with sympathetic locals, have now made an emotional appeal to the State government, seeking immediate intervention and life-saving assistance.

They have urged upon the authorities to urgently verify the family’s condition and extend all eligible government benefits without delay.

The case has also sparked concern among citizens, who believe that such incidents highlight gaps in welfare delivery mechanisms.

The people of Lumding have now united in a heartfelt call – not only appealing to the government but also to society at large – to come forward and help save a life.

The story of Shambhu Sutradar stands as a painful reminder that development must be measured not by slogans but by how effectively help reaches the most vulnerable.

This is not just one family’s crisis – it is a situation that demands immediate attention, accountability, and compassion from the authorities concerned.

By Deepjit Paul