Assam health minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the government’s decision to set up 19 new cancer hospitals in the state. The health minister said “the state government has tied up with Tata Trust to set up the cancer hospitals”. In February this year, Assam government and the Tata group had announced that they were entering into an agreement to develop cancer hospitals across 15 districts of the state. The state government also announced a new scheme to provide medical assistance for the care of children suffering from birth-related defects.