Raipur: The remote Usoor block in Bijapur district, once considered among the most challenging Maoist-affected zones in Bastar, has achieved the second position nationally in NITI Aayog's 'Champions of the Quarter' rankings for aspirational blocks in the central zone for October-December 2025. This marks a significant turnaround for a region long associated with conflict, isolation, and poor healthcare access.
There was a time when reaching many villages in Usoor meant traversing forests overshadowed by Maoist violence, navigating broken roads, and coping with nearly absent healthcare services. Today, the same block has emerged as one of India's top-performing aspirational blocks, showcasing remarkable progress.
The achievement is more than just a bureaucratic ranking in Bastar; it symbolizes a shift in a region once defined almost entirely by conflict, isolation, and governance vacuum. The rankings were based on key health and social development indicators, including control of communicable diseases, institutional deliveries, vaccination coverage, and screening for serious illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer.
Officials noted that Usoor demonstrated strong improvement in malaria and dengue control campaigns, maternal healthcare access, and immunization coverage, including HPV vaccination in remote villages. For many health workers in Bastar, the recognition feels deeply personal. In villages where health teams once traveled under security escort or struggled to convince families to access institutional healthcare, local mitanins, auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), and frontline workers are now being credited for delivering government services to some of the state's toughest terrains.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai described the achievement as proof that governance delivery was finally reaching the "last mile." He said, "Usoor securing second place nationally is direct evidence of effective implementation of welfare schemes and good governance even in difficult regions," congratulating residents, healthcare staff, and district officials.
Over the past year, the state has aggressively pushed healthcare outreach programs, mobile medical services, vaccination drives, and institutional delivery campaigns in deep interior areas of south Bastar. Officials reported that institutional deliveries in Usoor saw a significant rise, helping reduce maternal and infant mortality risks in remote tribal settlements.
NITI Aayog assessed aspirational blocks on key health and social development indicators, where Usoor emerged as a standout performer in multiple categories:
- Communicable disease control: Intensive campaigns against malaria, dengue, and other infectious diseases were carried out deep inside remote villages.
- Safe motherhood: Institutional deliveries saw a sharp rise, leading to a significant reduction in maternal and infant mortality.
- Stronger vaccination coverage: Regular immunization drives for children and pregnant women, including successful grassroots implementation of HPV vaccination, boosted healthcare outreach.
- Screening for major illnesses: Free screening and treatment facilities for non-communicable diseases such as blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer were expanded to the village level.
This turnaround story highlights how focused governance and healthcare interventions can transform even the most challenging regions.
