Guwahati: In a bid to empower the visually impaired children, living in remote areas of Assam, the Indian Army’s Gajraj Corps, also called the IV Corps, has constructed a school for them, at the Khatkhati village, in Assam’s East Karbi Anglong district, along the Assam-Nagaland inter-state border.


The noble initiative is a part of the project ‘Operation Sadbhavana’ started by the Indian Army’s Gajraj Corps.


The Indian Army has been undertaking multifarious projects in the remotest and underdeveloped areas of Assam, with an aim of providing humanitarian assistance to the underprivileged villagers, especially the children.


The Phase I of the Operation Sadbhavana project was executed in the year 2021 by constructing the school building for the visually impaired children.


As part of Phase II of the project, the Indian Army this year constructed another building, which provides additional classrooms and administrative setup towards enhancing the overall functionalities of the school.


The school for the visually impaired children was eventually dedicated to the nation and handed over to the District Commissioner, East Karbi Anglong, by the Indian Army, in presence of the civil administration and local populace.


People numbering thousands, from the nearby villages, gathered on the occasion, and extended their appreciation to the Indian Army for constructing the much needed school building.


The village head Babu Bongong and Christopher Prince Fernandes, President United International Mission, expressed their gratitude to the Indian Army, besides lauding the efforts made by the Army towards the onerous task of guarding the borders as well as undertaking efforts to mitigate sufferings of people and improving quality of life of the deprived and physically challenged children of the region.


In 2006, the central government named Karbi Anglong as one of the country's 250 most backward districts, out of a total of 640 districts at that time. 


It is one of the eleven districts in Assam currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).


Agriculture is the main source of income for the people of Karbi Anglong along with horticulture, livestock, plantation, sericulture, weaving besides others.


The tribal population of the district mostly relies on wild vegetables found in hills both for domestic consumption and commercial purposes.


The writer is a senior independent journalist covering the Northeast.