Training programmes & sensitising camps for tea garden workers
Darjeeling: The tea advisory council will be organising training programmes for tea garden workers and will also be sensitising them on various social welfare programmes undertaken by the West Bengal Government in tea
gardens.
The council's meeting was held at the tea directorate office at Vivekananda Bhawan, Siliguri and presided by Labour and Law Minister Moloy Ghatak.
"We will be organising skill development training programmes for the tea garden workers. The training programmes will commence with workers from the Binnaguri and Mallaguri tea gardens," stated Gautam Deb, Tourism Minister who is also a member of the Council.
These camps will be organised in tea gardens specially in the closed tea gardens to sensitize the workers on the social schemes and social security benefits that are provided by the state
government.
Incidentally during her recent visit to North Bengal, Chief Minister had stated that the Government has implemented a number of social schemes and benefits for tea garden workers including the closed gardens. However, most of the workers are not aware of these schemes. Banerjee had directed the district administration to sensitize the workers on such schemes and
benefits.
"During her visit to North Bengal, the Chief Minister also flagged off the Cha Sundari project whereby houses will be built by the government for tea garden workers," stated
Deb.
The Rs 500 crore project is aimed at providing pucca houses for homeless workers in the 370 tea gardens of the state. The Chief Minister had announced that the project will commence with 3,694 houses in seven sick tea gardens in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar in the first phase.
"The sensitizing camps will be organised jointly with various Government departments. We will also find out who all are receiving the benefits and who all are not, through these camps," added
Deb.
The tea gardens in North Bengal employ around 3,50,000 workers. There are 16 gardens facing closure in North Bengal.
