Lunglei, the largest district in Mizoram by area, spans a vast and rugged landscape where dense forests and steep hills have long posed challenges to delivering government services to every corner. Yet, under the leadership of IAS officer Navneet Mann, Deputy Commissioner of Lunglei (2020 batch, AGMUT Cadre), the district is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation.
Since last year, a trio of ambitious projects—Project LEAP, Project BLOOM, and the HealthyLunglei Initiative—has been reshaping the lives of the district’s most vulnerable populations, including persons with disabilities (PwDs), pregnant women, children, and those at risk of non-communicable diseases. These initiatives, driven by data, community participation, and interdepartmental collaboration, are setting a new standard for inclusive development in one of India’s most geographically challenging regions.
PROJECT LEAP: EMPOWERING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH UNITY
For years, the welfare of persons with disabilities in Lunglei suffered from fragmented efforts. Different departments maintained separate lists of PwD beneficiaries, leading to inefficiencies and gaps in service delivery. Project LEAP—Lunglei’s Empowerment for Access and Equity for All Persons—changes that by fostering synergy across departments to deliver holistic support.
Launched by the DC’s office, LEAP began with a meticulous house-to-house survey conducted by village-level committees. This grassroots effort identified over 1,500 potential PwD beneficiaries, revealing a stark reality: more than two-thirds lacked access to a disability card or Unique Disability ID (UDID), a critical gateway to government benefits. “The survey was the foundation,” IAS Navneet Mann told Indian Masterminds. “Without accurate data, we couldn’t begin to address the needs of this community.”
The next phase involved organising cluster-wise health assessment camps across the district. Seven such camps have been held so far, with the goal of achieving full coverage. These camps have been transformative, providing comprehensive health evaluations and enabling the distribution of assistive aids and devices through ALIMCO, a public-sector undertaking. To date, over 740 beneficiaries have received wheelchairs, hearing aids, and other tools to enhance their quality of life. For many, these devices mark the difference between isolation and independence, enabling them to engage more fully in their communities.
LEAP’s success lies in its collaborative approach. By aligning the efforts of health, social welfare, and local governance bodies, the project ensures that PwDs are not just recipients of aid but active participants in a system designed to empower them. The initiative continues to expand, with plans to reach every eligible beneficiary and integrate them into broader development programmes.
PROJECT BLOOM: NURTURING MOTHERS AND CHILDREN IN LUNGSEN
In Lunglei’s Lungsen Aspirational Block, where hilly terrain and limited infrastructure have long hindered healthcare access, Project BLOOM—Better Living through Outreach, Optimal Maternal and Child Health—is making a tangible difference. Launched to improve maternal and child health outcomes, BLOOM tackles critical gaps in institutional deliveries, antenatal care (ANC) registration, and child nutrition through a community-driven, multi-pronged strategy.
One of BLOOM’s standout components is SafeWombWheels, an on-call transport service strategically stationed to ferry pregnant women to nearby health facilities for safe deliveries.
This addresses a major barrier in Lungsen, where logistical challenges often prevent timely access to hospitals. Complementing this is the establishment of maternity waiting rooms—temporary homes near delivery points where women in their final weeks of pregnancy can stay. These safe houses, voluntarily provided by community members, offer accommodation, nutrition, and monitoring until delivery. So far, 15 such homes have been made operational, with the DC’s office providing free rations and sanitary items as incentives to both the expectant mothers and the host families.
BLOOM’s house-to-house surveys, led by Village Health and Sanitation Committees (VHSCs), have been instrumental in identifying pregnant women and children suffering from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). These surveys ensure early ANC registration, track supplementary nutrition needs, and facilitate continuous monitoring. To encourage behavioural change, BLOOM offers “Bloom Gift Baskets” filled with iron-rich foods, supplements, and hygiene kits to mothers who register early for ANC or complete institutional deliveries.
The results are promising. Since its inception, BLOOM has increased ANC registrations and institutional deliveries in Lungsen while fostering a sense of community ownership. “The involvement of village societies in providing homes for expectant mothers shows how deeply this project resonates with the people,” IAS Mann notes. “It’s not just about healthcare—it’s about building trust and shared responsibility.”
HEALTHY LUNGLEI: CONFRONTING NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES HEAD-ON
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like hypertension and diabetes are silent threats in Lunglei, where awareness and access to screening have been limited. The HealthyLunglei Initiative is changing that by bringing health services directly to the people. Since June 2024, the initiative has organised 50 health camps across the district, screening nearly 3,000 individuals for NCDs. The findings are sobering: nearly two-thirds of those screened were unaware they had hypertension or diabetes.
These camps, held in remote villages and urban centres alike, offer free testing and counselling, enabling early detection and management of NCDs. For many, the camps have been a wake-up call, prompting lifestyle changes and follow-up care. “The scale of undiagnosed cases was alarming,” Ms Mann told Indian Masterminds. “HealthyLunglei is about reaching people before these conditions become life-threatening.”
The initiative’s strength lies in its relentless focus on grassroots outreach. By partnering with local health workers and community leaders, HealthyLunglei ensures that even the most remote residents have access to screening and education. The project is now scaling up, with plans to integrate NCD management into primary healthcare systems across the district.
A MODEL FOR FUTURE
Under IAS officer Navneet Mann’s leadership, Lunglei is proving that even the most challenging geographies can become hubs of innovation and inclusion. Projects LEAP, BLOOM, and HealthyLunglei are not just addressing immediate needs but laying the groundwork for sustainable development. By leveraging data, community participation, and inter-departmental coordination, these initiatives are ensuring that no one—whether a person with a disability, a pregnant woman, or an individual at risk of chronic disease—is left behind.
