Bengal CM announces Rs 5,000 aid for tea garden workers
Suvendu Adhikari said the one-time assistance for 19,524 workers will be transferred to bank accounts before Diwali.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced on Tuesday that 19,524 tea garden workers will receive a one-time payment of Rs 5,000 each before Diwali and Kali Puja. According to Telegraph India, the total expenditure for this assistance will be Rs 9.76 crore, with funds transferred directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
Speaking at an administrative review meeting in Uttarkanya, Adhikari said he had considered a higher amount but decided on Rs 5,000 due to the state's financial condition. He also stated that the government is examining a proposal to increase the monthly rice allotment for workers from 35 kg to 50 kg, which could begin in January.
The Chief Minister noted that the rice increase would apply to workers in both operational and closed tea gardens. He also mentioned that efforts are underway to reopen 21 tea gardens that shut down during the previous government's tenure.
Adhikari directed Labour Minister Arjun Singh to expedite the reopening of these gardens. He said work under the Pradhan Mantri Chaa Shramik Yojana will start soon and urged workers to keep job cards ready for the VBRAM-G scheme, which offers 125 days of work at Rs 300 per day.
The Chief Minister also instructed district magistrates to identify people for the Annapurna scheme, which provides Rs 3,000 per month, and noted that eligible elderly people will receive a monthly pension of Rs 1,500. Additionally, he said the foundation stone for a medical college in Kalimpong may be laid on December 9.