Assam CM lauds Bongaigaon boat clinic for its sustained efforts in promoting family planning

Dispur (Assam) [India], November 11 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma lauded the boat clinic in Bongaigaon for its sustained efforts in promoting family planning among locals.
He described the initiative as evidence that genuine commitment can lead to real change.
"Large families were a norm in Bongaigaon's river islands owing to lack of awareness and care. Years of dedicated boat clinic outreach changed that. Today, people themselves seek family planning & health advice -- proof that sincere intent drives real change," wrote Sarma on X.
In a video shared by the Assam CM on his official X handle, Majur Sen Mandal, the program officer at the Bongaigaon boat clinic, highlighted that they organise monthly health camps once or twice in each village. Under the scheduled monthly camp, they cover 20 to 23 villages.
"Our Boat clinic was launched on October 20, 2010. What you are witnessing today is our Monthly health camp. We try to organise such camps once and sometimes even twice in a village. We cover a total of 22-23 villages and schedule monthly health camps across them," said Mandal.
An official discussing the recent progress stated that the situation in Bongaigaon has improved significantly, as people are now choosing to have no more than three children. "Many individuals are opting for contraceptive methods, and the Bongaigaon boat clinic has achieved considerable success in registration," the official said.
Earlier, the Assam Cabinet on Sunday approved the "The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025", which aims to prohibit and eliminate the practices of polygamy and polygamous marriage in the state, except in Sixth Scheduled areas.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the bill will be introduced in the Assam Assembly session on November 25 for passage.
"Polygamy is prohibited in respect of the person who shall not marry if he has a living spouse or is not legally separated from the other spouse by following due procedure of law or is a party to a marriage which is not yet dissolved or annulled by a decree of divorce. The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, further seeks to provide compensation to the victim women as they have to suffer immense pain and hardship due to polygamous marriage. To save the society from the scourge of such practices, this Bill has been framed with the avowed objective to streamline the society," the Assam Chief Minister said in a press conference held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati.
He further said that, under the bill, seven years of rigorous imprisonment will be there on those persons who will engage in marriage for the second and more. (ANI)