Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal commemorated Shramik Kalyan Divas (Workers’ Welfare Day) in Lahowal, Dibrugarh, on Sunday, honouring the legacy of Santosh Kumar Topno, a revered labour leader and social reformer from Assam’s tea garden community.
Addressing a gathering on the birth anniversary of Topno, the Union Minister lauded the indispensable contribution of workers to the nation. “The backbone of a nation are the workers. They are the driving force of a society,” Sonowal stated, emphasising their critical role in nation-building.
The Union Minister presented cheques to individuals and institutions that have made significant strides in sectors including education, healthcare, and infrastructure development, particularly within tea garden areas. He also distributed financial welfare grants to beneficiaries under the Assam Griha and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board. Further enhancing accessibility to such schemes, he launched free CSC-enabled registration, renewal, and onboarding services under the Nirman Sakhi initiative. This is expected to simplify the process for workers to avail themselves of their entitled welfare benefits.
Reflecting on the central government’s track record, Sonowal credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for a “radical transformation in the lives of the labourers” over the past eleven years. He affirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the “socio-economic security, dignity and rightful entitlements for the workers.”
Paying rich tribute to Santosh Kumar Topno, the Minister acknowledged his enduring legacy. He hailed Topno as a notable social worker, labour leader, and educationist who successfully brought the issues of tea garden communities, including the tea tribes and adivasis, into public discourse. Sonowal stated that Topno’s pioneering work in labour welfare, education, and social awareness in the tea garden areas remains a memorable and inspiring chapter in the region’s history.
