The West Bengal government has announced a festive-season assistance package for 19,524 workers from 21 closed tea estates in north Bengal, providing each eligible worker with ₹5,000 and an additional 50 kilos of rice.
Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari said the state Cabinet approved the assistance for workers below 60 years of age who live in tea estates that have remained closed since January 1, 2023. The package is intended to support workers who have been without regular wages and are dependent on temporary or informal work.
“These workers receive 35 kilos of rice in a month, but ahead of the festivities, we will provide them with an additional 50 kilos of rice. Also, ₹5,000 would be transferred to the bank account of each of these workers. This is a gesture from our side,” Adhikari said.
The announcement places the immediate welfare needs of closed-estate workers at the centre of the state’s response to prolonged disruption in the tea economy. According to the report, workers in the affected gardens do not receive wages and often survive on odd jobs. The additional food grains and direct bank transfers are therefore structured as short-term support during the festive period rather than as a replacement for regular employment.
The eligibility conditions limit the package to workers below 60 years of age and residents of gardens closed from the specified date. The government has identified 21 such estates, with the beneficiary count standing at 19,524 workers. The announcement did not provide details of the total financial allocation, the date by which the transfers would be completed or the process for verifying beneficiaries.
Raju Bista, the BJP MP from Darjeeling, welcomed the decision and described it as a special festive-season package for families affected by the closure of tea gardens. He also said the state was taking steps to expedite the reopening of the estates.
“We are hopeful that by this time around next year, all tea gardens will be fully operational,” Bista said. The reopening timeline and the steps being taken to achieve it were not detailed in the announcement. For the affected workers, the immediate assistance will provide additional food supplies and a one-time cash payment while the estates remain closed.
