A CORRESPONDENT
DIBRUGARH: Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday formally launched the issuance of proposed land settlement forms for tea plantation worker families, marking a historic step towards securing land and housing rights for the tea community in Assam. The programme was held at Dinjoy tea estate ground in Chabua of Dibrugarh district.
Addressing the gathering, the chief minister described the occasion as a ‘very important day’ for the tea community, stating that more than 5 lakh working families across over 800 tea estates in the state would benefit from assured land rights.
He said that the government aimed to hand over land pattas to a section of beneficiaries before the notification of the forthcoming election, while acknowledging that the complete process, covering nearly 5 lakh families, would take six to seven months due to its scale and complexity. To facilitate the process, four-member committees have been constituted in each plantation to assist workers in filling up the forms.
Highlighting the long-standing deprivation faced by tea workers, Sarma noted that despite nearly 200 years of contribution to Assam’s tea industry, plantation labourers were denied ownership rights over the land and houses they lived in. With the new arrangement, workers will no longer require permission or no-objection certificates from plantation authorities to repair or construct houses, and will be able to build homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana on their own land.
Announcing major welfare measures, the Chief Minister said the government would provide Rs 1 lakh for repair of old houses for each eligible tea worker family, while homeless families would receive Rs 1.60 lakh for construction of new concrete houses.
He also assured that Aadhaar and ration card coverage in tea estates would be made 100 percent, essential commodities currently supplied at Rs 100 would be made free, and one litre of edible oil would be provided free of cost to each family. Beneficiaries will also continue to receive Rs 1,250 regularly under the Orunodoi scheme.
In a significant announcement for education and employment, Sarma said that in addition to the existing 3 percent reservation in Grade III and Grade IV posts, children of tea workers would now receive 3 percent reservation in gazetted and first-class government jobs, including ACS and APS, enabling talented students from tea gardens to aspire for leadership positions.
The initiative is expected to bring a transformative change in the socio-economic life of Assam’s tea garden community by ensuring dignity, security, and long-denied ownership rights.
Also Read: Assam:Birjhora tea garden workers to receive land patta forms on Feb 9