About 4,022 single-storeyed dwelling units approved
In a bid to empower the tea garden workers, the state government has approved the construction of 4,022 single-storeyed dwelling units in 17 sites in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts under Cha-Sundari scheme.
Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya in the Budget statement said that the construction of 1,171 singlestoreyed dwelling units have been completed under the same scheme. This landmark initiative would undoubtedly be a significant step towards empowering the tea garden workers, alleviating their sufferings and elevating their standard of life, Bhattacharya said in her Budget statement.
The state government has already formulated a policy for providing land rights to the tea garden workers. In the Budget statement, the minister also pointed out that following the resumption of more than 2,500 acre area of unutilised land of the tea gardens, homestead pattas up to 5 decimals have been granted to around 23,000 tea garden workers. The tea garden workers are being provided with financial assistance of Rs 1.20 lakh each for construction of their dwelling houses under Cha-Sundari Extension scheme. The Cha Sundari scheme, launched in September 2020, is meant to ensure housing facilities for those permanent tea garden workers who do not have their own pucca house. The Housing department is the nodal department which is executing the scheme.
Incidentally, the state government is coming up with standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure responsibility of a tea garden after its sudden closure can be temporarily assigned to a party so that the workers do not have to suffer. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has constituted a GOM (group of ministers) for formulation of the SOP in consultation with the state Advocate General. The SoP targets to run closed tea gardens on a temporary basis.
Finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya in the Budget statement said that the construction of 1,171 single-storeyed dwelling units have been completed under the same scheme