https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

When a Small Block Starts Making Big Moves

How Lakhanpur block in Surguja is quietly rewriting the development playbook under the Aspirational Blocks Programme
Indian Masterminds Stories

It started as a dot on the development map; now, it’s leading the way.

Lakhanpur block in Surguja district, tucked away in northern Chhattisgarh, was once just another rural name in government records. But over the past year, it has turned into an unexpected success story, quietly outpacing expectations and clinching a ₹1 crore reward from NITI Aayog under the Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP).

In places where progress often inches forward, Lakhanpur has picked up speed, and it’s not slowing down.

100% ANTENATAL REGISTRATION IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER

In a block where healthcare access was once a challenge, every pregnant woman is now registered for Antenatal Care (ANC) in her first trimester. This early detection and consistent monitoring ensure that pregnancy is no longer a risk borne in silence. Health workers on the ground now start tracking and supporting expecting mothers from the very beginning, building trust and enabling interventions when it matters most.

What was once an ignored checkbox in remote registers has become the norm. A routine. A quiet assurance that no woman will go unnoticed.

FROM HOME BIRTHS TO HOSPITAL CARE

Until recently, many women in Lakhanpur still gave birth at home, far from medical assistance. But things have changed. Today, 100% of recorded deliveries in the block happen in healthcare institutions.

Behind this shift are not just awareness campaigns, but also a better referral system, upgraded primary health centres, and frontline workers who’ve taken it upon themselves to walk families through the process. For the first time, both mother and newborn can count on care that begins at birth, and sometimes before.

A CLEAN 100% TREATMENT SUCCESS RATE

Lakhanpur’s fight against tuberculosis is no less impressive. What hovered around 98% success in December 2023 became a full 100% TB treatment success rate by March 2025.

This wasn’t achieved through high-tech clinics or expensive outreach. It was the result of rigorous tracking, timely medicine delivery, and community health volunteers ensuring no patient dropped off the radar. No missed doses, no lost follow-ups. Just a consistent, patient-focused effort that brought the disease under control.

THE FARMERS’ TURN

Lakhanpur isn’t just improving health; it’s growing its fields better too. Three out of five Key Performance Indicators in agriculture and water resources have reached saturation. What does that mean?

It means more farmers now have access to irrigation. More are receiving timely inputs like seeds and fertilizers. And more are part of training programs that teach techniques tuned to local soil and weather.

In a region heavily dependent on farming, this kind of support isn’t just useful; it changes livelihoods.

A COLLECTIVE PUSH WITH LASTING IMPACT

The progress in Lakhanpur didn’t happen overnight, and it didn’t come from the top down alone. Behind the block’s success is a network of healthcare workers, block-level officers, farmers’ groups, and women’s collectives, all working in sync.

District officials, including Surguja’s District Magistrate Vilas Bhoskar, have provided steady oversight without grabbing the spotlight, allowing local teams the space to innovate and deliver. It’s a development model that thrives not on individual heroism, but on coordinated, everyday action.

BEYOND AWARDS, TOWARD A MODEL FOR OTHERS

The ₹1 crore reward from NITI Aayog was a recognition, but Lakhanpur didn’t stop there. The block continues to improve across sectors, showing that small geographies, when given the right attention and autonomy, can move faster than expected.

In a country as large and diverse as India, big change often begins in the small corners. Lakhanpur is one such corner. And Surguja is showing what’s possible when change is steady, grounded, and shared.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
8th Pay Commission members
8th Pay Commission Formed: Chairperson Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to IAS Pankaj Jain – Know More About All Members
BEML,_DPA,_DMRC,_and_Umeandus_Collaborate_
BEML, DPA, DMRC, and UTIPL Collaborate to Launch India’s Advanced Rail-Based Freight System (e-FTS)
CSS central secretariat service
CSS Forum Expresses Gratitude to PM Modi, Union Cabinet for Approving 8th Central Pay Commission ToR, Urges Implementation by 2026
Punjab-Haryana-High-Court-resized
Punjab & Haryana High Court Imposes Rs 2 Lakh Cost on Senior Punjab Officials for Disobeying Court Orders on Modified Vehicles
CM Vishnu Deo Sai and Wife
Spiritual Fervor in Kunkuri: CM Vishnu Deo Sai Performs Sacred ‘Tulsi Archana’ Seeking Blessings for Chhattisgarh
HUDCO
HUDCO Signs MoUs Worth Over ₹5,500 Crore with Major Port Authorities to Boost India’s Maritime Infrastructure
Uttarakhand Ghost Villages
Turning Silence into Sustainability: Uttarakhand’s Plan to Revive Ghost Villages through Homestay Tourism
Madhya Pradesh Foundation Day 2025
Madhya Pradesh to Celebrate Foundation Day with Grand Events, Vision Document ‘Prosperous MP @ 2047’ to Be Released
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Gokul S
Meet IAS Gokul S — The Officer Who Turned Disability into Determination | Video Interview 
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-23 at 10.40
Everybody Needs To Know What Is Transpiring Behind Closed Doors Of Courts
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
UPSC Journey Should Be Enjoyable, Not Cumbersome
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Gokul S
Meet IAS Gokul S — The Officer Who Turned Disability into Determination | Video Interview 
Visually impaired IAS officer Gokul S turned his challenges into change, empowering hundreds through...
Parmeshwar Chaudhary RAS
From Taunts to Triumph: How Farmer’s Son Parmeshwar Chaudhary Rose from Lab Assistant to SDM, Securing Rank 3 in RAS 2023
Parmeshwar, once taunted over his SI selection, has scripted a stunning success—securing Rank 3 in RAS...
IAS Rupal Rana UPSC
How Rupal Rana Cracked UPSC CSE 2023 with AIR 26 After Four Attempts
UPSC Topper Rupal Rana secured AIR 26 in 2023 after four attempts. Learn her preparation strategy, booklist,...
Social Media
Tenzin Yangki IPS Arunachal
Historic First: Who Is Tenzin Yangki, Arunachal Pradesh’s First Woman to Join IPS? Anand Mahindra Hails Her
She secured an impressive 545th rank in the prestigious UPSC Civil Services Examination - 2022.
IFS Parveen Kaswan
Heartbreak by the River: 15-Day-Old Elephant Calf Rejected by Mother, Rescued by IFS Parveen Kaswan and His Team
Jaldapra, West Bengal: In a moving incident that tugs at the heart, a 15-day-old elephant calf was rescued...
Ashwini Bhide IAS and Anand Mahindra
Who Is IAS Ashwini Bhide, Hailed as a Role Model for Mumbai Metro Transformation by Anand Mahindra?
From heritage to high-tech: Bhide’s leadership in Metro Line 3 earns public praise and admiration
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
8th Pay Commission members
8th Pay Commission Formed: Chairperson Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai to IAS Pankaj Jain – Know More About All Members
BEML,_DPA,_DMRC,_and_Umeandus_Collaborate_
BEML, DPA, DMRC, and UTIPL Collaborate to Launch India’s Advanced Rail-Based Freight System (e-FTS)
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Gokul S
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-23 at 10.40
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT