Guwahati: The Indian tea industry has expressed gratitude to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for extending the Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Protsahan Yojana (PMCSPY) for another year, calling it a crucial step towards improving welfare measures for tea garden workers.
Presenting the Union Budget 2026–27 in Parliament on Sunday, Sitharaman announced the continuation of PMCSPY for the financial year 2026–27, extending a scheme that was originally introduced in FY 2024–25 and 2025–26 with an outlay of ₹1,000 crore.
The scheme focuses on the welfare of tea workers—particularly women and children—in Assam and West Bengal.
Welcoming the decision, the Tea Association of India said the extension would strengthen need-based interventions in tea garden areas, especially in education and healthcare.
“The tea industry is thankful to the Hon’ble Finance Minister for extending the PMCSPY for one more year. The scheme has played a vital role in supporting tea workers and their families, and its continuation will further reinforce social infrastructure in tea-growing regions,” the Association said in a statement.
The Budget has also addressed long-standing demands related to social security for plantation workers in Assam. Provisions have been made under the demand for grants to support family pension-cum-life insurance benefits through the Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme.
The initiative covers workers governed under the Assam Tea Plantation Provident Fund and includes the Central Government’s contribution along with reimbursement of administrative charges.
According to the Tea Association, this measure will ensure financial protection for plantation workers and their families while strengthening the social safety net in the sector.
Beyond the tea industry, the Union Budget 2026–27 places strong emphasis on agriculture-led growth and youth empowerment.
A major highlight is the launch of “Bharat-VISTAAR,” a multilingual, AI-powered agricultural advisory platform integrating AgriStack and ICAR practices to deliver region-specific guidance to farmers.
The Budget also announced a ₹10,000 crore MSME Growth Fund to support scalable enterprises, along with mandatory TReDS payments by CPSEs to improve liquidity for MSMEs. Additional support has been extended to tourism, infrastructure development, and long-term energy security.
Industry stakeholders have described the Budget as progressive, stating that its focus on structural reforms and inclusive growth aligns with the broader vision of a “Viksit Bharat.”