THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BONGAIGAON, AUGUST 30, 2026

In a unique Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed at taking healthcare services to flood-prone and remote riverine areas, NTPC Bongaigaon has flagged off three boat ambulances to serve char and riverine villages of Kokrajhar district bordering Dhubri district.

The initiative seeks to address persistent healthcare challenges faced by communities that remain cut off during annual floods and adverse weather conditions, ensuring that essential medical services reach vulnerable populations despite difficult geographical and transportation constraints.

The three boat ambulances were formally inaugurated and flagged off by Derhasat Basumatary, Executive Member for Health and Family Welfare, Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), and MCLA of the Salakati Constituency, in the presence of Moon Moon Brahma, Executive Member for Urban Development, BTC and MCLA of the Parbatjhora Constituency, Nilu Brahma, Director of Health Services, BTC, officials of NTPC Bongaigaon, representatives of the District Health Department, healthcare personnel and members of the local community.

Implemented under NTPC Bongaigaon's CSR programme in collaboration with the BTC Government and the Directorate of Health Services, BTC, the project is intended to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services for people living in the riverine belts of Khutabagra and adjoining areas.

The three boat ambulances have been provided with an investment of Rs 20 lakh and are equipped with essential medicines and emergency medical facilities. They will be manned by trained healthcare personnel, including medical staff and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), enabling them to provide primary healthcare services and emergency response directly to communities residing in difficult-to-access riverine areas bordering Kokrajhar.

Speaking on the occasion, Basumatary appreciated NTPC Bongaigaon for conceptualising and implementing the innovative intervention, saying it addressed one of the most critical challenges confronting people living in flood-prone riverine areas.

He said the initiative would significantly enhance access to healthcare, particularly for pregnant women, children, elderly persons and emergency patients during periods when conventional transportation becomes inaccessible.

Addressing the gathering, Moon Moon Brahma underscored the importance of collaborative efforts between public institutions and corporate entities in improving the quality of life of people in rural and riverine communities. She lauded NTPC Bongaigaon's sustained commitment to community welfare and social development in the Bodoland Territorial Region.

Nilu Brahma, Director of Health Services, BTC, said the boat ambulances would function as mobile healthcare units, carrying medicines, medical equipment and trained health workers to remote villages.

He said the initiative would strengthen the public health delivery system and improve outreach activities, including immunisation, maternal healthcare and treatment of common ailments in difficult-to-access locations.

Officials of NTPC Bongaigaon reiterated that healthcare remains one of the company's major CSR focus areas and said the project reflected its commitment to ensuring that no community is deprived of essential services because of geographical constraints.

They further said the boat ambulances would serve as a critical lifeline during floods by facilitating emergency medical transportation as well as routine healthcare delivery throughout the year.